You’ve been told you just need more willpower and you’ll FINALLY lose those last 20 lbs, right?
That’s great and all, but you live in the real world. Your willpower is being used up on bigger priorities, right?
So what can you do when your life is full of stress, the kids candy is all over the place and your buddies keep inviting you out for wing night? The temptations aren’t going away.
Try these four strategies (one involves beer) to help you.
1. Build A Support System
Research shows that having a close friend or family member vow to lose weight increases your chances of doing the same.
A weight-loss program at the University of Pittsburgh understands this premise – requiring people to enroll with a partner. The participants are then encouraged to support one another throughout the process.
In the end, 66 percent of the participants had maintained their weight loss when checked on ten months later. In contrast, the control group – the participants that did not join with a partner – saw only 24 percent maintain their weight loss.
Even thinking about someone you look up to – who has willpower and has lost weight like you want to – can help you get stronger.
Bottom Line: Increase your chances of success by enlisting a workout partner.
2. Set Some Ground Rules With Alcohol & Junk Food
Small doses of alcohol can actually be beneficial to your fitness goals – a pint of beer increases testosterone by 17% and has no negative impact on muscle loss – according to one study.
BUT both testosterone and protein absorption DROP when drinking more than two pints a night. Daily consumption of alcohol can have a detrimental effect on testosterone and your ability to build muscle and burn fat, even in moderate amounts. You’ll also sleep worse and feel off the next day.
Try to drink your last drop at least 2 hours before bedtime. And limit it to 2 drinks – so it doesn’t turn into an all-night bender where you end up eating a salmonella-filled hot dog from that food vendor at 2 a.m. and wake up with an embarrassing tattoo on your face. Not cool.
Bottom Line: A pint of beer or a glass of wine on a Friday night will not stand in the way of your goals. But don’t go all Frank The Tank every Friday.
3. Test Your Willpower To Make It Stronger
If you hit the willpower gym, you could improve the strength of your willpower muscle.
Test your willpower through little challenges on your good days (not days you’re stressed out already).
I suggest these willpower challenges take place at work when your willpower is strongest in the early parts of the day.
Test yourself by avoiding treats brought in by co-workers or ordering a salmon and salad for lunch when others around you are eating a burger and fries.
Bottom Line: By performing small but regular willpower challenges you can improve your self control. Then at home, ask your spouse to keep the treats hidden away so you can conserve what’s left of your willpower.
4. Remember Your WHY
Why’d you start getting in shape in the first place? It was probably about more than looking good on the beach.
Maybe you want to build some confidence to attract that crush of yours. Maybe you want to be able to play with the kids without getting winded. Maybe you want to feel energized at work without needing an IV hooked up to the coffee machine. Maybe you don’t want your heart to explode at age 50.
Whatever your reason is, you need to keep that front of mind to overcome the short term temptations that confront you at every turn.
Bottom Line: Remember your #1 reason for wanting to get in shape and let that guide your decision making.
P.S. If this all sounds like too much to take on by yourself, I’m taking two guys and 1 girl into my coaching program on a two week trial basis. Complete this survey to apply
For a comprehensive list of foods to help raise testosterone, check out this article: http://www.testboostersreview.com/info-guides/foods-increase-testosterone/
