You are working hard in the gym, you are working hard sticking to your nutrition plan, you are doing it all right but there are still a few hiccups in the road. What is one thing that we can all have for free, that you could be using to help further your results? Before I answer that, I want you to picture this all too common situation.
Navigating Temptation When Exhausted
It’s the end of a busy day, the kids were restless and kept you awake(again), the boss has been pushing you to meet a deadline (again), the house is a mess (again), your PT pushed you hard during the session (again) and all you want to do is put your feet up and treat yourself. Your body and mind are tired and you don’t feel like making any more decisions for the day. You feel a desire start to burn deep within you.
Resisting Temptation: Battling Late-Night Cravings
There is a calling from the cupboard. You know you aren’t hungry because you just finished your meal. But there is still a calling from the cupboard, and it’s getting louder!! Chocolate! But wait, chocolate won’t help you with your results. But I want it! That desire deepens and you are too tired to fight it. Good thing you don’t buy chocolate, you think. But then again, the kids bought home that box of Cadbury from school for fundraising.
Overcoming Late-Night Temptations: A Battle of Willpower
No, you couldn’t! But who would know? Just one can’t hurt, can it?
You get up and look at the box.
No, you tell yourself while knowing that you are going to have one ONE WILL EVER KNOW!! You tell yourself again, and I’m only going to have one. Before you know it, you wind up with a tired body and mind and three empty chocolate wrappers sitting with you on the couch!! AGAIN!! Shhhhhh, don’t tell my trainer! So what happened, and how can you change it? You were tired, you had made many different choices during the day and you didn’t have the mental energy to fight against this desire and make one more good choice for yourself.
Staying Committed to Your Goals: Creating a Supportive Environment
Aren’t my goals and results important to me? You ask yourself – Of course they are. That’s why you are working so hard to create the right environment to succeed. You go to bed early knowing that you might have to deal with the kids during the night; you take your meals to work with you knowing that you will be less likely to succumb to temptation in the work lunch room; you are working hard at focusing on doing your best during your exercise sessions; you have everything planned, ‘what more could I be doing?’ you ask yourself.
Harnessing Accountability for Success
When you are tired it can be really hard to fight against desires that could derail your progress. What can you do to help yourself in this situation? You need outside help. This brings us to the one free resource that you could be using that will help you in these situations. It comes down to accountability. Next time you set a goal for yourself, be it sticking to a workout plan, creating better nutrition habits, or not eating that chocolate the kids bought at home, tell your network about it. Let your friends know. How does this work?
Accountability: Strengthening Your Commitment to Goals
By letting others know about what you are doing in regards to your goals you are becoming answerable to others. Go further than just telling them what you are doing, set some rules for yourself and let them know these. For example, with the chocolate situation above, you could decide that you aren’t going to eat any of them. This could be tough to follow alone, after all, no one would know if you broke your rule, but by telling your support network you stand accountable to them if they ask you if you have had any. Now I’m trusting that you are an honest person and don’t feel comfortable lying to your friends. So each time you go to break your set rule you will ask yourself, ‘What if my friend asks me about this? I can’t lie to them.’
The Power of Accountability: Overcoming Temptation
How do I know this can work? That box of Cadbury chocolate is sitting in my cupboard at home and I have a huge weakness for chocolate!! I told a few people about it and a month later I still haven’t had any and the desire is a lot easier to say no to!
Would you like to expand your support network? Join us at Primal Movement Personal Training and your free week trial to our We would love to be a part of your support network on your journey.