The new year has started and you're starting a new eating plan or even an old one, and a few days/weeks into it your Will Power is dwindling. Why does that happen? What's wrong with you? Why can't you just stick to it and get your desired end result? Why do you throw in the towel when you feel like you've fallen off the wagon?
We've all been there and you may even be heading there again.
Stop! Will Power isn't the answer to your problem. Will Power is not a superhero that shows up and fixes it all. Will power relies on you feeling positive and strong. There is no fight between Will Power and the Evil Sabotage! Will power is temporary.
The real answer is that the sabotaging behaviour is an old strategy that really worked for you once upon a time, it kept you safe, made you happy, helped you feel better. But now it isn't working for you. It's making you sad, depressed, overwhelmed, disempowered, useless, lazy etc etc. So why can't you change it with Will Power? Simply put, the way your brain is set up means you run most of your patterns and behaviours from programmes that have been put in place at a very young age. Will Power was something that you were introduced to at a much older age. The behaviours/patterns have been running so long that they are embedded in your subconscious, like an old program that runs your pc. Where as will power is in your conscious mind. You have to think to stay strong, to stay focussed, to stay on-plan.
Why should this difference matter? Because when you are caught out by an emotion or belief that you don't find helpful, Will Power is unable to fight, and what appears to be the Evil Sabotage takes over. So you break your diet, it could last for a day, the rest of the week or just feel like you're never in control again.
So what can you do about it? By finding out what the sabotaging behaviour is protecting you from, and then undoing the programming that says that it is the ONLY way to deal with this situation or belief or emotion, you can then feel safe enough to make the changes that you want to make. One way to do this is with Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), often referred to tapping. It access the part of the brain that is on red alert when we are stressed or in fight/flight/freeze and enables the mind and body to process what is really happening and to involve the conscious mind to find other resourceful, helpful ways of being.
You could start by taping with the phrase "Even though I'm frustrated (or insert whatever emotion you feel) that I cannot stick to my diet, I love and accept myself anyway". tap through the points (see http://www.yoursoulenergy.uk/eft-and-matrix-reimprinting for how and where to tap) with the intention of being open to finding out why you sabotage yourself. Lots of us have used food for company, to help us feel love, to keep boredom at bay etc; by tapping on what you feel just as you want to eat the food that you told yourself you wanted, you will discover YOUR personal beliefs and start to unwire and clear them.
If you feel that you would like to do this is a supportive and structured way, then maybe by new 6 week programme of workshops is for you: Emotional Freedom from Dieting. See my website for details about the programme that is starting on Tuesday 24th January at 9.30am. http://www.yoursoulenergy.uk/freedomfromemotionaleatingprogramme