I read 2 interesting articles about willpower that came to opposite conclusions based on some behavioral studies:

A, that willpower is a mucle and the more you use it the stronger it becomes

and

B, that willpower is finite, so if you use your willpower to turn down (for example) an appetizer, you might have depleted that store of will and be more likely to cave and order dessert.

Based on your own life/personality (before or after the band), which school of thought is more true for you?

Interesting question and topic!

I think before the band, I would have put myself in the B group, because I was one to tell myself, especially at restaurants, that since I did not have an appetizer, I could splurge on dessert. Now that I have been banded, I see myself in the A group now. I find that I get stronger with each day that goes by, especially now that I'm losing weight.

I can say I didn't think I could make it through my 15 day liquid diet. That was the first time I had ever attempted going without and a lot of people questioned whether or not I could do it. I made it through that phase and lost ten pounds in the process. Those days showed me that I could do this, I could control my eating habits. Since then I have continued to lose and was banded on dec. 19th. I have lost a total of 33 pounds. I have felt my willpower strengthen in the last few months. Getting passed the first hurdles opened the door for more confidence and control. I was have to say that MY willpower is strengthening as I am using it.

I have absolutely NO willpower when it comes to weight loss.....

I have dieted, AND FAILED on every diet under the sun fro the last 30 years......

That is why I needed surgical intervention to FORCE me to learn new habits, and loose the old habits,

OR ELSE I pay the consequences......

BTW, after learning my new lessons, I have not slimed or gotten stuck in over a year.....but early on, while learning to "listen" to the band it was a different story and not always pleasant......

I think will power is infinite. I do not believe you run out of it.. You just may need to recharge and dig deep to surface it....

I don't have an issue with will power anymore. I just don't crave or want the bad foods I used to eat at all. I think even without the band if you go without something long enough then you don't want it anymore. It just helped me control my hunger not anything else.

Will power is a tricky thing I've discovered over time... Essentially it's thought of as a a "not" thing, as in not going to eat this or buy that or say this or do x activity or behavior. Therefore is "passive" in the sense it requires no proactive action... Which means you feel no progress or gain only LOSS.

I have found turning will power into an active - proactive process allows me to feel a little more on control and a sense of accomplishment not just loss. As this pertains to food and weight loss that means that I focus on replacing food with activities and challenges and group focused items. Also I exercise which makes me feel like I'm "doing something" and gaining something not just losing.

Lee

i believe in want power..i want to lose weight and get healthy bad enough to do everything that i can to help the band..bad enough to want it and do something about it...and that want power is making me believe in myself and the band..it works.

I believe willpower is just white-knuckling through a situation. That's no way to live. I think you have to set up your environment to one that is conducive to a skinny lifestyle. So, I guess I fall into B-52's mentality that using willpower as a dieting tool sets me up for failure.

Having said that, when presented with a situation TODAY, I do not need willpower because I'm not even tempted. The band will help me with the TOMORROWS where I will be tempted. That's my guarantee that I won't gain it all back once I'm at goal!

I agree 110% with the post (above) by B-52 . .. . feel the SAME way

I so agree with CarolinaGirl. For me, willpower has nothing to do with it. It's want-power. I want to lose this weight and be healthy more than anything and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to achieve it.

Willpower, btw, I have absolutely none. At all. Want-power I have tons of.

Minime is reading alot of minds mine included.

Joni2