How to Find Willpower Not to Eat
How do I find the will power not to eat from 2pm until supper at 5pm?
I’m not sure which program you are following because I don’t think that’s a sensible rule for most people if you mean that you’re not allowed anything to eat at all. It’s a particularly difficult one because it is quite normal to get hungry mid-afternoon especially if you have had a lunch with a lot of carbohydrates and not much in the way of fat and protein. It’s the time when low blood sugar tends to hit and we feel in need of a boost to raise our flagging energy.
In my program I would advise you to have a light healthy snack mid-afternoon to keep you going until dinner if (and only if) you are physically hungry. If you do this it means that you are more likely to
a) make sensible choices for dinner
b) have the energy to prepare and cook something
c) keep your metabolism ticking over
Now if the problem is that you are not eating for hunger but are falling prey to the proximity of the chocolate machine or the cookie jar that’s another matter…
For this willpower IS required…a few things which might help - maybe others can suggest more things which help them
- have a healthier snack on hand and ready-prepared so that you less likely to succumb if you get hungry/need a boost
- avoid having unhealthy foods to tempt you at home (or keep them well out of the way and out of sight) and avoid the area with the chocolate machines at work
- keep a record of how often you manage to resist (e.g. a chart with stars or ticks) and reward yourself when you reach 100 with something you really want but are willing to deny yourself until you earn it
- make yourself pay a forfeit whenever you give into the urge - money to a charity you don’t like, having to walk off all the calories you ate after dinner etc
