Did you know that willpower is not all that it’s cracked up to be? A recent article in Prevention Magazine inspired me to learn more. Studies show that physiological factors like blood sugar, brain chemistry and hormones (no big secret on this last one, huh ladies?) are also at play to undermine your willpower, no matter how strong you think it may be. Here are some tips to help you keep your willpower up when it might otherwise be compromised.

Try to keep your blood sugar steady.
Of course, low blood sugar often signals you that you are hungry, but it can also impair self-restraint. Who knew? So don’t skip lunch or you may spend all night trying to keep your spoon out of a pint of ice cream. We’ve all heard that eating 4-5 smaller meals is a good idea. Now we know one more reason why.

Try to get a good night’s sleep.
I suppose this maybe rather obvious, but if you get less than 6 hours of sleep, your judgement is also impaired. It can also elevate the hormone that triggers hunger. Aim for 7-8 hours to hold off those munchies.

Try not to make too many changes at once.
A change in diet can be challenging enough, don’t try to do this at the same time that you make another willpower depleting change like to quit smoking or change jobs.

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