fitnessrevolution

A lot of people ask me about willpower because they think they don’t have enough of it.

Here’s what’s wild about that: it turns out, the fact that they think they don’t have enough willpower might be why they don’t have enough.

Say what?

Back in the 1990s, scientists came up with a theory called “ego depletion,” which basically says that willpower is a limited resource.

And, if you’re tired, stressed, or have made a ton of decisions during the day, you’re more likely to run out of it.

Which sets you up for skipping your planned workouts, ordering takeout instead of eating a healthy home-cooked meal, etc.

BUT… new research suggests that ego depletion may only apply if you believe in it.

So, if you believe you will run out of willpower, you probably WILL.

WOW.

But this is actually really good news.

It means you can take back control (and personal responsibility!) over your actions — and stop “relying” on willpower!

One way to do that: the next time you feel like you don’t have willpower, go into PROBLEM-SOLVING MODE.

Ask yourself: Why do you feel like your willpower is slipping?

●      Is it a schedule problem?

●      A planning problem?

●      Are your expectations too high, too soon?

●      Are you tired?

●      Are you stressed or upset?

Here’s a real-life example from my own life. I noticed that every Thursday night, I was feeling extra-tempted to order out instead of eating at home.

After I did some thinking about it, I realized what the problem was: Thursday was the day I ran out of my planned & prepped meals for the week.

The solution: Set aside a little time on Wednesday to restock my kitchen so I’ve got healthy food in the house.

Nothing is more motivating than feeling like you’re making solid progress — and the way to keep moving forward is to keep solving those problems!

Let’s talk about cravings for junk food – and what you can do to beat them.

You know what I’m talking about… you’re sitting at your desk at 2 p.m. and suddenly ALL you can think about are chocolate chip cookies. Or you’re watching TV at night and feel the ice cream or chips in the kitchen calling your name.

These cravings are super common — and they can be caused by a lot of things.

●      You could be hungry

●      You might be stressed, lonely, or bored

●      You’ve developed a habit of snacking around a certain time or activity

●      Your hunger hormones might be out of whack from a bad night of sleep or because it’s that time of the month

●      You might have a nutrient deficiency

Eating a special treat every once in a while is fine — and even encouraged! But on a regular basis, it can get in the way of your results (not to mention your health).

I’ve got a 4-point list to help you slay those junk food cravings and take back control!

1.Plan ahead. Have healthier options on hand: fruits, cut-up veggies, nuts, etc. (PS: I know you already know this — but do you actually DO it? 🙂 )

2.Hide food offenders. If you have foods in the house that   bring on cravings, keep them out of sight!

3.Eat it. Allow yourself to snack on your favorites once in a while. This way they don’t become “forbidden foods” that make you crave them even more.

4.Try mindful eating. When you do indulge, make eating that food your only activity. Turn off the TV, get off your phone, and savor every bite, noticing its taste, texture, temperature, etc. This can help you feel more satisfied with a smaller portion. Plus it can help you decide whether you’re eating because you’re actually hungry… or because of something else (entertainment, to relax, bored, etc.).

Habits can be changed — they just take time!

Have you ever noticed that foods that aren’t exactly “good” for you seem to taste amazing?

It’s kind of like Mother Nature is playing a practical joke… but there are a few reasons this happens.

1. Many “crave-worthy” foods are loaded with sugar, salt, fat, and empty calories.
2. Our brains are hardwired to crave tasty, high-energy (aka high-calorie) foods because they help us survive when food is scarce. (Except for most of us, food isn’t scarce anymore — so we have to be careful not to overeat these foods.)
3. Manufacturers spend a LOT of time and money making these foods as delicious as possible – and also on ads to entice us. It’s no surprise that some of these foods are hard to resist!

So if you find yourself craving these foods, that’s by design!

I’m sharing this with you because I believe knowledge is power — and keeping this in mind helps me keep my own food choices in check!

According to the National Academy of Sciences, people eat too many calories, saturated fats, trans fats, and added sugars; too much sodium; and not enough vitamin D, calcium, potassium, or fiber.

Here’s the kicker: the top causes of death (heart disease, diabetes, some types of cancer, etc.) are strongly associated with our food choices!

Now, I am all for moderation (80%-90% healthy foods, 10%-20% “extras”) … but I also know that walking that tightrope can be a real challenge sometimes!

It’s time to discover just how GREAT you can feel!

Committed to your health,

Imran

When you are in the middle of a workout and it starts to get hard, what do you do?

1. Say, “Well, I guess I’ve reached my limit today,” and stop
2. Ask yourself, “Why is this so hard for me? I’m in terrible shape. Why do I even try?”
3. Tell yourself, “Bring it on. This is where I SHINE and when it counts the most!”

Here’s another example:

Over the past few days, you’ve been swapping out your not-so-healthy snack with healthier choices. Suddenly you are hit with a MAJOR craving for cookies — but you’re not even that hungry. What do you do?

1. Say, “I’m just going to eat the cookies anyway because life is short and who cares.”
2. Ask yourself, “Why I am so weak? There must be something wrong with me to get all of these cravings.”
3. Tell yourself, “I’ve got this! This is a chance to show my old cookie habit who the real boss is around here!”

Here’s a sneaky secret about both of those scenarios that very few coaches are willing to talk about.

Making changes – even healthy changes — can be HARD sometimes.

It’s because you’re moving out of your comfort zone … which is a good thing!

“You never change your life until you step out of your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone.” ― Roy T. Bennett

It’s a sign you’re making REAL progress. Not just physically, but also mentally.

And things WILL get easier. And easier. And easier.

And soon you won’t even have to think about it that much … because it’ll become a HABIT.

Want an easy way to test your core strength and endurance? Let’s do it!

Proper form is EVERYTHING in this test, so before you start, make sure you know how to get into (and hold!) a perfect plank position.

You can get a form check from an experienced coach who can walk you through it, but a DIY way is to set up a video camera before you do the test so that you can see your form yourself.

Your only goal? Hold your perfect plank as long as possible.

Here are the details:

Get into a forearm plank position so that your upper body weight is supported by your elbows and your legs by your toes.

You can get into this position by lying on the floor on your stomach, and then pushing your body up so that your elbows are on the floor below your shoulders, and your forearms are extending straight out in front of you (hands not touching).

Your hips should be off the floor so that your body forms a straight line from your head to your heels – your face should be looking toward the floor.

As soon as you get into this position, start a timer, and hold your plank as long as you can with good form. Don’t let your hips rise or fall, or your shoulders hunch or sag. Also, be sure to breathe!

Your test is done when your form starts to suffer.

Here are the scores:

• Less than 15 seconds – Very Poor
• 15-30 seconds – Poor
• 30-60 seconds – Below average
• 1-2 minutes – Average
• 2-4 minutes – Above Average
• 4-6 minutes – Very good
• Longer than 6 minutes – Excellent/Elite

How did you do