What's YOUR [super] power?

I heard the VERY best advice I had heard in a very long time as I sat in my Weight Watcher meeting last night. Not the meeting I lead, but the meeting I am so blessed to attend. And maybe it wasn't meant as advice, maybe it was just someones comment, but oh my gosh- darn- golly- gee it spoke to me and I have not been able to get it out of my head. 

It was explained like this. 

If you're in the store and you see a temptation, and you say NO to the temptation, you only need to say no to it once. BUT... if you're in the store, you come across a temptation, you give IN to the temptation, bringing said temptation home with you, now you need to say no to it SEVERAL l times because it will be in your sight continuing to tempt you until it's gone.

WHOA! 

Now...do you ALWAYS need to say, "No?" No! See what I did there? I just said, "No." Anywho....

Don't become a hermit. Don't be the "No" girl so you no longer socialize because being social is just as important to a good healthy life style as those good food choices and activity!  

Many times, I get the comment from people, "You have amazing willpower." I've said it before and I'll say it again, I don't call it "willpower." 

I call it "WON'T POWER!"

Let me explain.

For 39 and a half years, I had willpower! I WILL eat this. I WILL eat that. I WILL drink this. I WILL drink that. Do you know where willpower got me? It got me to 238 pounds of unhappy. And I look at my before pictures and I don't see the overweight, plus-sized, clothed girl. I see the sad eyes of that girl. Enter, mind shift! Enter "Won't Power." 

I KNOW what giving up feels like. I want to see what it feels like if I don't! 

Many people believe that they could improve their lives if only they had more willpower. With more self control, they could eat right, exercise regularly, stop procrastinating among many other goals. My mind says in order to do that, I need to say "WON'T" vs. will. 

I WON'T eat that (today.) 

This does not mean my won't power is engaged EVERY SINGLE DAY, but it gets me through a LOT of social situations. Situations where in the past, I'd feel like I'd need to be eating because everyone else was. Society makes social situations revolve around food more times than not. Many times, a party is planned around a menu and not around the activity itself.

Another birthday at work? That means another cake. If you cannot resist the temptation of that cake, it’s time to train your brain to think a little differently. Instead of telling yourself that you'll "be good," and avoid the cake today, (or in other words willing your willpower) tell yourself you WON'T have the cake (today.) And be honest about why you WON'T have the cake. Is it because you had cake yesterday, or because you prefer homemade chocolate cake rather than supermarket bakery cake? Remember your reasons. Say it as a statement, “I had cake earlier this week,” “I prefer my Mom's homemade crazy chocolate cake.”  Now imagine saying, “I will see how many slices of cake I can get in per week,” “I will eat this cake even though I dislike the texture of it."  Not only would that sound silly, but it will also help you realize what you really want.

A lot of people accept food because they don’t want to be offensive or hurt people’s feelings. But what about your feelings? You need to take care of yourself and be loyal to your goals and eating habits, not anyone else’s. 

Some people think mantras are silly, but I love my Won't power mantra!  Just because it’s there, doesn’t mean I have to eat it and just because it's on sale doesn't mean I have to buy it.

If you are the type of person who can eat one bite of cake and walk away, by all means enjoy it. But if you are the type that goes back for a second piece of cake, or just the frosting of a second piece of cake, like me, then I would find that mysterious power that will help YOU! And if that power is "willpower" or "won't, power," it's YOUR power!