Willpower in Weight Loss: Just Call Me Old Fashioned

I personally think that addressing some of the characteristics of modern life that contribute to obesity, including sprawl, the modern office and workday, the dominance of TV in our entertainment, the types of foods that are subsidized and advertized and available, would also have positive benefits on many other aspects of life. This includes environmental issues, mental health issues, and community cohesiveness. There's nothing saying that we aren't each responsble for what goes in our mouths and our homes and our brains, but why not work towards communities and policies that work for us rather than against us.

It's interesting that the people who want to control everyone's life and force us all to live under their rules have decided that if we allow them that control, we'll all lose weight and look good.

They don't want you living in the suburbs, so sprawl causes you to be overweight. Brilliant. What else causes weight gain? Not giving you half my paycheck? Maybe if we'd genuflect to you with a little more feeling, we'd burn more fat in the process.

Treating obesity as a public health problem is about taking power from people and controlling their lives.

Greed makes everything sick. Way to go, capitalists.

Care to sell me some hanging rope?

I'm a capitalist... and sure, I'll sell you some rope... not my business what you do with it. If I were to not sell you the rope, you might decide to step into traffic.

That's the basic problem. You can't legislate people's behavior to minute levels. Individual choice is far more important than that. And if the choice is made, it doesn't matter what legislation is made. If someone wants to eat junk, and you were to close down fast food restaurants, they could go get their junk elsewhere.

Also, it's not fair to people (any people really) to tell them what they can or cannot do/eat--- it would be tyrannical... If I run 20 miles and decide a Chick Fil A sandwich would really hit the spot afterwards, that's my business and only my business.

Also, do you really trust the government to make these decisions? Who do you trust? Remember Trans-fats, the healthy alternative to saturated fats? How many times have you heard to grill or broil meat so you can cook foods without a lot of added fats. Look up AGE's. They're is certain studies out there-- very much published in medical journals, still not too much in mainstream media-- these things created might in fact be nearly as bad for as as transfats.

Yeah, I think I might make my own decisions and abide by MY consequences.

I partly agree with Ben. I think there needs to be more personal accountability in this country. I truly feel that if you wish people to take responsibility for their actions, you need to stop enabling them with these excuses!

Everyone's playing the blame game lately and personally I'm sick of it.

I think this is a really fine line here. On one hand, I do agree that personal responsibility is important. People should be, for the most part, responsible for their own lives and not under the control of a "benevolent" government.

At the same time, there's a couple of clear downsides to placing too much value on willpower. The first is that different people process the same inputs differently. Yes, the extremes (such as the tiny person who lives on junk food and the person with serious metabolic issues who can't lose weight) are very rare, but everyone's results vary. To look at those results as evidence of how strong-willed a person is seems kind of ridiculous, especially when we judge based on body type, which is somewhat genetic. Maybe another five foot two woman looks great at 105. For me to be anything near that skinny would require significant bone and muscle loss. Is that a fault of my willpower? Highly, highly doubtful.

Another problem is that willpower alone will only suffice for so long. Yes, it took tremendous willpower to START new habits, but if you're starting habits that you really, truly hate (and not just the pain of getting into shape), it's tremendously difficult to stick with them FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. This ties in with the prevalence of fad diets. I'm sorry, but eating nothing but grapefruits or cabbage soup or red meat is not sustainable, not healthy, and not proof of anyone's superiority.

There was an article about this in the NY Times recently, and some of the comments there REALLY distressed me. Despite the article being about the same research results, there were hundreds of comments criminalizing people who had been unable to lose weight through their own willpower. There were people claiming that it's not that hard. They just stopped eating and other people should buck up and do it too. The difference between having a lot of willpower and placing way too much value on control over one's diet and body is a thin one and one we should not be trying to get as close to as possible.

We all have personal responsibility for our health, but our environment has an effect too. I walk several miles a day. When I had to move for my job, my new neighborhood didn't have any sidewalks. I had to drive a long distance to a park to get in my daily walk and so I didn't exercise as much in my new environment. You can't make people exercise or eat healthy, but you can give them access to exercise and healthy food.

Well, everything comes from God, so it's all God's fault. Even if you're atheist. Replace God with The Universe or whatever you like.

Of course, we are all God, playing a role. Like actors on a stage, but unlike Peter Sellers or Eddie Murphy playing a handful of roles, God plays them all.

So we're all kind of responsible for everything. Or, God is responsible for everything, but having forgotten that he/she/it is God, is responsible for nothing. So we're responsible for nothing.

We just seem to have more control over this part or that part. Some people for some reason are able to exercise more control.

Maybe their parents where rich, and they inherited so much power. Or maybe their parents were poor, they envied power and obtained it. This goes for personal power as well as power over others.

I don't think anyone's really to blame for anything. This is just how things have been, and blaming isn't going to help one bit. It would be better, instead, if a person decided on action because they see a better way for themselves or others.

Not be motivated by guilt at what they could have already done, or motivated out of a feeling of responsibility. Instead, to be motivated by excellence, success for its own sake.

Blame is useless, particularly, because nothing could have been different than it was. We can say this or that was possible, but until it actually happens, nothing has been possible.

Does it seem paradoxical, to see free will and determinism as one and the same? The East has known for a long time that they are one, and call it karma (action, choice, fate). You create your karma and your karma creates you. Have at it!

"it’s crucial to manifest a positive mindset"...I agree completely.

I do like the idea of combining the action of taking personal responsibility with approaching weight loss from a health perspective. I also think that there does need to be an environmental reform...yes, no one makes you hit the drive through, but once you get hooked on that food, it's hard to turn away from it.

Would it be OK to have cocaine drive throughs lining the street, and say that it's your personal responsibility whether or not you drive up? I think it is your choice to take that first step and ingest the substance, but what about after you are hooked?

Fast and processed food tastes great and the ingredients are addictive; sugar tops the list, which is in practically all processed and fast food.

Heather said:
Also, do you really trust the government to make these decisions? Who do you trust? Remember Trans-fats, the healthy alternative to saturated fats?[...]

Amen Heather (Ron Paul, '08!). Remember when the government classified ketchup as a vegetable? And it's the government farm subsidies that make corn based junk foods so cheap!

But getting back to the willpower topic, I have never known anyone to be really successful in any area unless they have a never say die, gung ho, balls to the wall mentality. Check out the links to the people who transformed their bodies. They are clearly convinced they will succeed. They're not "trying to maybe cut back a little." They're out to take control of their own health.

It starts with that mental toughness. It doesn't matter whose fault it is these bad foods abound, in the end, your body works for you. Make it do what you want.

Heather said:

Kailash said:
Greed makes everything sick. Way to go, capitalists.

Care to sell me some hanging rope?

I'm a capitalist... and sure, I'll sell you some rope... not my business what you do with it. If I were to not sell you the rope, you might decide to step into traffic.

But you're not a particularly encultured captain of industry, are you? I was referencing the statement of Vladimir Lenin, "A capitalist would sell us the rope with which we hang him."

I have no problem with myself. No hanging necessary. I'm not the one who is toxifying everything for a profit, externalizing the true costs of my business onto human society, living organisms and the environment.

You can't legislate individual's behaviors, but you can legislate their options. I'm calling for a ban on all food additives, which add nothing but misery. That would be a good start.

I like Mollyjade and Kailash's opinions and agree with them. You can't legislate people's behavior, but you can provide them with the options and education they need to make good decision. I lost weight because I chose to lose weight, not because of some government law. However, it was easier because I had access to nutritional information on food products. It was easier because I had access to bike lanes and hiking paths. there were dozens of little things like that that made things easier for me, but ultimately, it was my choice to be healthy.

So no, governments can't legislate behavior to this level, but I think they can and should help their citizens by providing choices and information.

Gal

I personally get really sick of hearing people making excuses as to why they can't eat right and/or work out. For almost every excuse out there, there is a solution. I have had plenty of setbacks that would make most people just give up on working out...I have ITBS, so when it flares up, I could just say "No running for a month; guess I can't work out". Or I could find a cardio activity that doesn't bug my knee and do that instead (which is what I do). If it's snowing and cold out, I could make the decision to just not go out or I could stay in and do Tae Bo. I could say that fresh veggies and fruits are too expensive, so I can't afford them. Or I could find what's in season and shop at Aldi (where the prices are significantly lower) and eat my healthy foods. It's definitely a matter of personal responsibility. People do need to take a little responsibility for themselves and not blame everything on the government or modern society.

Not every overweight person eats a fabulous diet and exercises, but I know MANY thin people who eat crap and sit around watching TV. Are they responsible for their thin bodies? Is it their willpower that keeps them slender?

Yay for willpower,I am a firm advocate and practicer of self control.

126 pounds down,
14 to go.

Amen Heather (Ron Paul, '08!). Remember when the government classified ketchup as a vegetable? And it's the government farm subsidies that make corn based junk foods so cheap!

And, federal control is not automatically bad. About a hundred years ago, the US government started its campaign against nostrums. While one can complain about the FDA, I think most Americans would say that the Pure Food and Drug Act was a big step forward.

I agree that people need to take a little responsibility. Actually, people need to take a lot of responsibility. But, like with the federal action against nostrums, there can be a role for regulation.

A public health approach towards obesity doesn't mean that the nutri-police will wrest that contraband krispy kreme out of your hand. And, Ben, while I sympathize with your characterization of the weight zealots, I think that we're just at an early stage of understanding what the heck is going on. It's pretty hard to ignore the trends and the effects on society. Not only is it hard, but I think that it is irresponsible to ignore them.

Honestly, yes, thin people who eat junky food and do no exercise are thin because they do not eat more food than the calories they burn. They no doubt eat some french fries, but maybe not so many. Perhaps they are blessed with a greater indifference to food than some overweight people. But they most assuredly are not eating all that many calories, or they would be overweight.

I agree with what you say about having the right mindset--develop a gym habit, work on eating habits, etc.

No amount of willpower, however, can overcome all obstacles in weight loss. I have 3 chronic illnesses and take many medications (most of which list "weight gain" as side effects).

It's easy enough for someone to say "I have XYZ, and if I can lose weight, so can you". No two people (or illnesses) are alike. A little compassion would go a long way.

When it comes to weight loss/maitenance, personal choice rules the day, but the sticking point for many people is they don't believe they are at choice. This is true for other life issues as well. Many times a slight shift in perspective or a distancing from circumstances can bring this to light.

A few words about willpower-when I hear the word I think of being pushed or forced to do something I really rather not do. That's not a fun way to spend life! How can we make the process of eating better, exercising and practicing self-care more of a gravitational pull towards something that we really want? What would make living healthier an attractive process as opposed to a burdensome chore? This would make the journey for all aspiring health seekers much more enjoyable and less of a struggle. If it can't be done with a little passion, we should ask ourselves, why bother? It's a great thing to connect with the real reasons we choose or choose not to live healthier. It's only from this place that we'll find true peace and fulfillment. Isn't that what this "dieting" stuff is about anyway?

I agree with you - willpower is crucial for weight loss. Willpower is probably one of the main reasons why people don`t finish the diets recommended by their dietitian.

I think willpower is still necessary in every diet. Temptation is always in our way and we can fight it with a strong willpower. It's not about being able to resist but balance.

Alexandra said:
Honestly, yes, thin people who eat junky food and do no exercise are thin because they do not eat more food than the calories they burn. They no doubt eat some french fries, but maybe not so many. Perhaps they are blessed with a greater indifference to food than some overweight people. But they most assuredly are not eating all that many calories, [...]

Sorry Alexandra, but I know a lot of thin people that can seriously eat, and I know fat people that don't eat a lot. Weight loss, obesity, and metabolism are complex and not that simple.

It isn't will power that is needed. It is want power.

Weight gain is not really that complex, and if you try to make it seem so, then you are disempowering and victimizing yourself unnecessarily. People gain weight when they eat more calories than they can burn. There may be reasons that account for a small amount of extra weight, such as metabolism. But the big picture is that too many calories equal extra weight. Those skinny "serious eaters" no doubt skip snacks or extra meals that some of the larger people are not. Most people don't have the opportunity to observe every single thing that other people put into their mouths. And people are really not even very honest with themselves and often don't realize they've eaten as much as they have.

Andrea Pelin said:
I agree with you - willpower is crucial for weight loss. Willpower is probably one of the main reasons why people don`t finish the diets recommended by their dietitian. [...]

The idea of "finishing a diet" is as much of a problem as lack of willpower. We've become a nation looking for quick fixes, ways to lose weight so we can go back to doing what we want.

And frankly if we put so much emphasis on this whole willpower as virtue and the means to results, it reinforces this idea. Which is quite a silly one if you think about it. If you eat 1000 calories a day for six weeks, you'll lose weight. If you go back to 3500 a day after that, you'll gain it back. There are no quick fixes, only long term changes in habits, to the ones that get you healthy and keep you there.

And for that they need to be sustianable. Yes, there are mornings I don't want to go to the gym. But other mornings I want to get up and go and energize myself. Nothing beats the feeling of knowing I had a good run in the morning. Yes, sometimes I need to draw up my willpower and resist dessert or second helpings. But if every single meal is torturously bland (because I've been trained to see vegetables as punishment, not tasty), if every workout is torture, if every day is spent starving for hours on end, I am not going to stick with the habits causing that torment.

Healthy eating and excercise should be part of life, not short periods of self-punishment to prove something, and the willpower to make choices with deferred, not immediate benefits, is an important part of life. But when it becomes the only part, life becomes pretty miserable.

Mr and Mrs Fat said:
Sorry Alexandra, but I know a lot of thin people that can seriously eat, and I know fat people that don't eat a lot. Weight loss, obesity, and metabolism are complex and not that simple[...]

You can eat too many calories without "eating a lot". Heck, I eat a LOT of food and I'm little...it's because I eat foods like spinach, lettuce, veggies, fresh fruit, soups, etc. that aren't very calorie dense. If I were to eat similar amounts of chips, cookies, cake, etc., I'd be pretty huge. You have to be brutally honest when you say "I don't eat THAT much in a day". Before I got thin, I used to lie to myself all the time. Then one day I wrote down everything I ate and it added up to a whopping 4000 calories.

I think willpower is sort of like a muscle...you have to build it up and make it stronger. At the beginning of my healthy lifestyle journey, I had to make things very easy for myself. I had to remove junk food from my dorm room, set two alarm clocks to wake me up to work out, have my workout clothes always ready and waiting. I'd always grocery shop for healthy meals and snacks and plan the week's meals in advance so it would be as easy as possible to not cheat. Gradually, I was able to trust myself around junk more and more and now it's a lot easier to just say "No thanks" when someone offers me a bag of chips or a plate of brownies.

Unfortunately, two people can eat the same food, get the same exercise, one gains weight and the other one doesn't. And this is not that uncommon. That was my point. It works in reverse too, same food, same exercise, one loses and one doesn't. That's why it's not so simple, most comeplex, but willpower does play its part.

Alexandra said:
Those skinny "serious eaters" no doubt skip snacks or extra meals that some of the larger people are not. Most people don't have the opportunity to observe every single thing that other people put into their mouths. And people are really not even very honest with themselves and often don't realize they've eaten as much as they have. [...]

That is true, but one person may gain weight on 2000 Calories a day, another might lose weight. Metabolism is different with different people. You can't assume the larger one eats more.
Also, it would be a fallacy to assume an overweight person eats a lot. If a person eats 1 banana more each day than he burns, after a year he'll have gained 11 lb. Most don't gain that fast. So if you have two people with the same metabolism, one 15 lb heavier-- well, that person ate the equivalant of 5 extra baby carrots a day for 5 years. Oh, the horror!

Actually, as a nation, we are gaining weight very quickly on average.

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2006/fit.nation/obesity.map/

Surely it is unlikely for this number of people to have metabolism problems that suddenly sprang up in the last few years. And although there are probably some variations in how many calories given people can eat in a given day without gaining weight--tall people can eat more than short ones, for instance--each individual does have his or her own "budget" of calories that he or she is responsible for, and if they go over it, they will gain weight.

I am not saying this to be mean. I know so many wonderful people who struggle with weight. It seems ridiculous to me that the punishment for such a minor sin as eating too much is something as harmful as gaining weight! I wish people who did evil would gain weight instead. But in fact, it is easy to see how too much weight hurts people--it hurts their knees and their backs and their hearts and gives good people suffering. It really is a worthwhile struggle to try to not have that pain. And the only person who has any control over this is the person who has the weight.

I also don't blame the environment. It should be our own responsibility. We can't expect to find everything we are looking for in front of us. Our lives needs our wise decisions in order to be wonderful.

While I don't think that everyone's food choices should be controlled by some kind of fascist government plan, I do feel that there is a need for the government to intervene in the American obesity epidemic.

As a successful dieter and fitness fanatic, it's easy to see that our supermarkets are full of ridiculously unhealthy foods, and the prices are rigged in favor of bad choices.

For example, I can buy a one-pound package of boneless chicken breast filets for $3.99; a head of iceberg lettuce for $1.29; and a bag of seedless grapes for $3.15. Total price: $8.43

On the other hand, I can buy a box of hamburger helper, and pound of ground beef, and a box of cupcakes for around $5.

Putting myself in the shoes of a working mom or dad with two kids -- I can see why they would pick the ground beef and cupcakes. The price is right, and the kids would definitely approve. But the impact on that family's health is very negative -- and these types of choices are setting up those kids for a lifetime of obesity and unhealthy nutrtional choices.

Too much fat, too much sugar, too much sodium, too many carbohydrates -- these elements are the equivalent of "nutritional crack cocaine" -- highly addictive, and essentially deadly.

Parents need to view "the nutrition battle" with the same emphasis that they view "the war on drugs." The government is helping by limiting trans fats and requiring manufacturers to put nutrtion information on packaging. But the government can only do so much without becoming an oppressive totalitarian regime. The rest is up to each individual.

Concerning the thin people that eat a lot and the fat people who don't, I'd like to point out the commonly accepted principle of Somatypes. There are three types (most people are a combination and not a pure somatype):
ectomorphs - Naturally skinny people who can't gain either fat or muscle easily. Most models are ectomorphs.
endmorphs - Naturally fat people, who can gain weight very easily, but can gain muscle fairly easily. These people tend to be round; endomorphic women who slavishly control their weight tend to be curvy.
mesomorphs - Naturally muscular people who can gain or lose weight fairly easily, and gain muscle easily. These people tend to have the V/hourglass shape.

I'm basically an endomorphic mesomorph. I basically maintain my weight and can lose weight by dieting, but still, I have some padding that my body seems to not want to get rid of.