Building strong willpower is as easy as 1,2,3,4

There are certain people in this world who seem to be able to refuse a piece of cake with ease – not you?

No, us either! Most of us would say we have zero willpower to say no. In fact, limited willpower is the most cited reason for not sticking to a healthy eating plan.

While the cake-dodgers of the world are naturally endowed with greater self-control than everyone else, we all find our willpower falters according to circumstance, such as how hungry, tired or grumpy we are.

Fortunately though, willpower is like a muscle – the more you use it the easier it becomes. Start today with these 4 easy steps…

Another slice of cake? No. No, thank you.

1. Feed your brain----------------------

Your brain is a high energy organ that guzzles glucose as its primary source of fuel.

Acts of self-restraint reduce blood glucose levels. In turn this impairs your ability to exert further self-restraint — such as when you get home hungry after a hectic day, or the average Monday, and order in a pizza instead of chopping vegetables for a stir-fry.

The answer is to feed your brain a steady supply of quality glucose. Here at {{stationname}} Diets, fuelled by Hairy Bikers Diet Club we recommend eating 3 nutrient-rich meals and 2 snacks each day – no starving yourself.

Eating healthy food at regular intervals makes it more likely you can exercise the self-control to — well, eat healthy food. It’s a positive loop that assists your weight loss.

2. Don’t try to change everything today-------------------------------------------

You only have a single supply of willpower and it governs decision-making as well as self-control.

Because this supply of energy is shared by several brain functions, it’s most effective to focus on 1 goal or project at a time. If you try to make several big changes simultaneously, your efforts will be compromised. For example, don’t start a new exercise program in the week you are moving house, starting a new job or the children break up from school.

Generally, it is better to break large goals into smaller, more achievable steps and to focus on completing 1 or 2 major tasks each day. Once your goals become established as habits, you can focus on changing something else.

Remember, willpower is only 1 aspect of self-control. You are more likely to make healthy choices if you control your environment. Not having a packet of Jammy Dodgers (other biscuits are available) in the cupboard means you don’t have to restrain yourself from eating one – or the full packet with a cup of tea.

3. Exercise boosts self-control-----------------------------------

While maintaining a regular exercise program demands a degree of self-regulation, over-all it improves willpower.

The next time you are struggling with yourself over getting to the gym or going for that walk, remember each session gives your willpower muscle a workout as well as your other muscles.

4. Small acts lead to big gains-----------------------------------

It’s not just exercise that gives your willpower a workout. You can enhance its effectiveness by performing small acts of self-control for a couple of weeks in a lot of areas not related to healthy eating and exercise.

The main thing is to override the usual way you do things and be more aware - have more control over your actions.

Get happy and get healthy with Greatest Hits Radio Diets, fuelled by Hairy Bikers Diet Club – small wins lead to larger gains down the road.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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