Willpower is a bitch to develop. Straight up. Some people just think they “don’t have it”. Including a Rockaholic who inspired this #ThursdayQandA!
If you know me, you may think I just send people Hatebreed songs and Joe Rogan clips to get them motivated, but it’s usually by making new exercise and nutrition habits enjoyable for them. We don’t call it willpower.
The way I hear it used these days, "willpower" is basically a fancy word for habits. Often glamorized and bragged about by people with “healthy” habits; sometimes also demonized by people whose habits aren’t all that healthy.
Developing willpower is developing new habits. The gym. Vegetables. Whatever it may be that you need “willpower” for, is just a habit you need to develop on a very deep level.
So understand that this willpower myth is way blown out of proportion. Habits are automatic. We all have hundreds of them we don’t even realize! (There's also hundreds of books about them if you wanna dive deeper than this blog will go!)
The best way to develop new healthy habits is to take it ONE habit at a time, break that habit down to ONE concrete action that you will do (ideally each day), then focus exclusively on that. Get real good at it. Experiment with ways to make it work for you in an enjoyable, as-convenient-as-possible way. ("Triggers" like "I will do 10 squats before I watch Netflix" work well!)
If you can’t get real good at it, you either need to give it more time (ideally 2-3 weeks) with consistency, or find a concrete action with a smaller “buy-in”. This can be a shorter workout, an at-home one, or 3 servings of vegetables a day instead of 5. Whatever it looks like, you’re in charge of your own experiment! Don't give up.
Making the habits as enjoyable and convenient as possible really helps! That looks VERY different for each individual, but again it’s an experiment that YOU’RE in charge of. There are no rules!
I really doubt I’d work out as much as I do if I didn’t headbang and play air instruments between sets. I like eating broccoli without ranch so I can tell people I “raw dogged it”. These examples may seem stupid and childish but they legitimately work real well for me.
Holding yourself accountable early on is important, and that’s when you’re going to struggle the most because it’s new, but I don’t think fitness and nutrition should make anyone crazy or miserable.
Stay on the lookout for ways to make the habits you think you need to work on (one at a time of course!) more convenient and enjoyable. Give it a little time, and you won’t even need that finicky “willpower” that comes and goes depending on the day of the week. You’ll have lifelong habits to help you live healthier, lose weight, and get stronger!
Have fun and do your best,
Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach (American Council on Exercise; Precision Nutrition)