We're growing our willpower at The Healthy Weigh...or should I say, our 'I will' power, 'I won't' power and 'I want' power...the three powers that make up willpower! This week we focused on two more practices that have been scientifically proven to build willpower. Willpower lives in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, and the more blood flow we can get to this region of the brain, the more willpower we'll have.
Researchers from Macquarie University in Sydney Australia did some intense research about a new treatment to enhance self-control (willpower). They were stunned by the findings. While they had hoped for positive results, nobody could have predicted how far-reaching the treatment's effects would be. The trials guinea pigs were six men and eighteen women, ranging in age from eighteen to fifty years old. After two months of the treatment, they showed improvements in attention and the ability to ignore distractions. In an age of thirty second attention spans, that would have been reason enough to celebrate. But there was more. They had reduced their smoking, drinking, and caffeine intake, despite the fact that nobody had asked them to. They were eating less junk food and more healthy food. They were spending less time watching TV and more time studying. They were saving money and spending less on impulse purchases. They felt more in control of their emotions. They even procrastinated less and were less likely to be late for appointments.
When the findings came out... colleagues were asking, what is this miracle drug and where can I get a prescription? The intervention wasn't a drug at all. The willpower miracle was physical exercise. The participants, none of whom exercised regularly before the intervention, were given free memberships to a gym and encouraged to make good use of it. They exercised an average of just one time per week for the first month, but were up to three times per week by the end of the two month study. The researchers did not ask them to make any other changes in their lives, and yet the exercise program seemed to spark new found strength and self-control in ALL aspects of there lives. EXERCISE...our 3rd willpower booster!
As we take a closer look at willpower and the ways to boost our gray matter we also have to look at why some people seem to have a greater willpower reserve the others. Many factors influence your willpower reserve. Anything that puts a stress on your mind or body can interfere with the physiology of self-control, and by extension, sabotage your willpower. Anxiety, anger, depression, and loneliness are all associated with less self-control. Chronic pain and illness can also drain the body's willpower reserve.
My studies of willpower have encouraged me to continue to challenge my clients at the Healthy Weigh to keep pursuing emotional and spiritual wellness as they follow their nutritional plans. Our 4th willpower booster is to do the INTERNAL WORK of weight loss to heal and relieve stresses that are keeping them from having more willpower. I guess it's about dieting from the inside out!
Our Willpower boosting list is growing...here's what we've got so far:
1. Meditation
2. Rewards
3. Exercise
4. Internal processing
As we continue to grow this list, I'm convinced that my clients are going to see themselves resisting more temptations and meeting more of their personal goals! Big brains and lots of gray matter...that's what we're after!
Always encouraging you,
Letha
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