Healthy Living

Monday, November 9, 2009

Jillian Michaels: The Truth About Will Power--and How to Get More!

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I have often said that I don't believe in will power. In fact, in my first book I referred to it as a "fleeting moment of bravado." But, recently I have had a change of heart. In my own struggles with will power and impulsivity, I have come to learn that will is a not a myth or a genetic trait you either have or you don't, it's a skill. This means that anyone can develop it at any point! It's like a muscle it can grow stronger or it can become weaker. Ready to learn how to build your willpower instead of breaking it down?

To build will power, you need to change where you think.
That's right--you can literally change the part of the brain that you are using to process information in order to take a long-term view and control your behavior. Your amygdala is the part of your brain that is impulsive. This is the part that grabs the handful of M&Ms off your co-workers desk or dives into the bread rolls on the table. But by stopping and questioning theses choices before you act on them, you literally shift the place where you are processing information--to the frontal lobe. Your frontal lobe is the part of your brain that is associated with will power and self-control.

So, the next time you get the urge to reach your hand into a candy jar, transfer your mental control from the impulsive part of your mind to the logical part.
Here's how: Take a few deep breaths and then ask yourself some complex questions about what you are feeling, what you're about to do, what is triggering those emotions or cravings and whether the action supports your long-term health goal. Don't rush it--carefully contemplating the results of your decisions and actions will allow you to move from that "go" state where you're ready to act on impulse to a "know" state where you are able to make the healthier choice.

Get more advice from Jillian Michaels, like:
-2 Secrets That Will Change the Way You Think About Improving Your Body
-3 Fitness Dos & Don'ts I Learned From My Workout With Jillian Michaels
-Jillian Michaels' Secrets to Starting to Slim Down Today

--Jillian Michaels is the author of the new book Master Your Metabolism and the motivation coach for the free Body by Glamour shape-up program. She's helped dozens of people get slim and healthy as a trainer on The Biggest Loser--and has helped thousands of others through her DVDs and books! Look for her unique brand of motivation advice every Thursday right here!

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Comments 1 of 1
  • Rowdygirl's Avatar
    Posted by Rowdygirl Tue May 12, 2009 10:40am PDT

    wow.. so all it takes is to stop and think before you eat?

    Why didn't someone say this before?

    geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez

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