Train Your Brain For Willpower!

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 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.

Two ways to spark that blood flow...meditation and rewards.

Neuroscientists have discovered that when you ask the brain to meditate, it gets better not just at meditation, but at a wide range of self control skills, including attention, focus, stress management, impulse control, and self-awareness.  People who meditate regularly aren't just better at these things, over time, their brains become finely tuned willpower machines. Regular meditators have more gray matter in the prefrontal cortex, as well as region of the brain that supports self awareness.

The good news is, it doesn't take a lifetime of meditation to change the brain. Some researchers have started to look for the smallest dose of meditation needed to see benefits. Meditation increases blood flow to the prefrontal cortex, in much the same way that lifting weight increases blood flow to your muscles.

The studies regarding rewards for permanent change are powerful.  In neuroscience, the reward system is a collection of brain structures which attempt to regulate and control behavior by inducing pleasurable effects.  It is in the brain circuit, that when activated, reinforces behaviors.  The circuit includes the dopamine containing neurons, part of the prefrontal cortex. Humans are seekers of pleasure. The problem with dieting is that we have our pleasures mixed up.  We have convinced ourselves that food (over indulgence) is pleasure, when food is the cause of our pain.

To lose weight and keep it off for life, we must recognize that we will continue to seek pleasure, and we must change how we feel about food so that it no longer is our source of pleasure. The reward system while losing weight and working to keep it off, does just that. By choosing new pleasures, flowers, a walk in the park, a new book, etc., we will begin to choose new behavior with our eating, to guarantee the pleasure of the reward...the real pleasure. Every time we make a choice to reward ourself we grow our willpower! Even the suggestion of a reward is enough to spark the blood flow to the prefrontal cortex.

Understanding and being more aware of how our brain works and how willpower works is making a difference for me.  I hope it's doing the same for my friends at The Healthy Weigh. This week it's all about meditation and rewards.  I look forward to next week when we take a close look at what we are really meant to resist.

Always encouraging you,
Letha

WILLPOWER...Can We Strengthen It?

The Healthy Weigh has started their 16th Team Challenge. For the next ten weeks we'll be focusing on WILLPOWER! As I've studied the subject recently, I'm convinced that willpower can be strengthened. I wouldn't be spending 10 weeks talking about it if I didn't think so. We're going to be looking at how self-control works, why it matters, and what we can do to get more of it.

Our levels of personal willpower distinguishes us from each other. We've all been born with the capacity for willpower, some of us just use it more than others.  Studies show that people who have more willpower/self control, have better control of their attention, emotions and actions. They are happier and healthier. Their relationships are more satisfying and last longer. They make more money and go further in their careers.
They are better able to manage stress, deal with conflict, and overcome adversity. They even live longer.

When pit against other virtues, willpower comes out on top. Self control is a better predictor of academic success than intelligence, a stronger determinant of effective leadership than charisma, and more important for marital bliss than empathy. Bottom line...if we want to improve our lives, willpower is not a bad place to start.

We are going to be taking a closer look at science and our brains regarding willpower. Neurobiologists as well as psychologists have much to say about the subject. Understanding the science of willpower will give us strategies for developing self-control and greater strength to pursue what matter most to us.

Next week I'll be focusing on the three powers that make up willpower. Will Power, Won't Power and Want Power!  Stay tuned for more about willpower!

Always encouraging you,
Letha

What Do You Want?

This Tuesday we will have our first weigh-in for our ten week "WILLPOWER" Team Challenge! I can't help this morning but to look ahead to June 18th, the finale of this challenge, and think about that day! History WILL repeat itself so I know what June will hold for the participants of the Spring Team Challenge 2013. I can hardly keep my feet on the ground thinking about it.

Tuesday, April 16th, over 80 teams will walk into The Healthy Weigh feeling nervous but excited! They will weigh in and record their official weight for the beginning of this 10 week challenge. For some clients that will be difficult as they face the scale. Many will be as heavy as they've ever been. Others have been on the journey with The Healthy Weigh for a while and will be seeing weights they haven't seen in YEARS!

Either way, DECISIONS have to be made. Decisions to participate fully in the program, both physically and emotionally. Those clients who decide to be "all in" will see amazing results in the next ten weeks! I'm sure of it!

When I think about Tuesday, June 18th...Here are the things I am sure of:

MANY clients will reach their goal weight and be ready to move on to stabilization!

We will celebrate 20, 30, 40, 50, 60...and possibly 70 pounds weight losses!

NO one in the room will be thinking the same thoughts that they were thinking 10 weeks ago!

Willpower will be increased in all of our lives!

Medications will have been discontinued!

Life spans will have been increased!!

Confidence will be palatable!

Community spirit will be soaring!

Personal healing will have taken place!

And that's a partial list!

It's funny, ten weeks doesn't seem like a very long time, but MAJOR things happen in a ten week period when you make a decision and cut off any other possibility!


I hope that all our teams will spend some time this weekend thinking about June 18th. The first step to any change is knowing what you want. So knowing what June 18th looks like for you is going to be very important!

I know what I want on June 18th. I want to be able to stand in front of this group of people as we celebrate their GREAT accomplishments and say that I did my very best to inspire and motivate them to live their best lives! I want to look back and see that the education I brought forth was beneficial not just to my clients but to their families as well. I want to have given my ALL for this Spring Team Challenge! I want to be living out the very lessons I teach so that I can deliver them with conviction and power! That's what I want!

What do you want?

I will be spending the next 4 days mentally preparing for this "WILLPOWER" Team Challenge. I hope you will too. Spend time looking ahead to June 18th. Visualize yourself at that Grand Finale feeling proud of what you've accomplished! It's going to be a life changing ten weeks
 for sure!

Always encouraging you,
Letha