Successful Weight Loss: Why Lack of Willpower Is A Good Thing.

I was 17. I was really happy I had solved that math problem. After a whole page of calculations, I did it!

With my chest lifted out of pride and a grin on my face, I showed the solution to my teacher. He glanced at it.

And then he rejected it saying “this is not a graceful solution”.

Whaaaat?! I was floored! I had found the correct answer. So what was the problem?

“Who cares about grace? And also, what is grace? How can math solutions have grace?”

“Needing 5 lines to arrive at the answer vs. needing a whole page of calculations to get to the answer is VERY different.”, he said

And then he added:

“Not all solutions are created equal, even if they do indeed get the correct answer. Solutions that get to the answer faster are more graceful than the ones who take 5x or 10x the number of calculations.”

And then he demonstrated the 5-line math solution.

It was a beautiful solution. It took me a while to figure it out. I was left impressed!

Yes, I could have solved that problem in just 5 lines. But no, I did it the hard way: a whole page of calculations!

Point taken. Getting to the goal alone is not enough. Getting to the goal with grace is what we should aim for.

So what do math solutions have to do with diet and successful weight loss? EVERYTHING.

We are conditioned that “trying harder” will get us to our goal, but often trying harder is only that: Trying too hard for something that we could have achieved much more easily had we tried a different solution.

And that’s why I’m excited to introduce the Smart Lazy Dieters Series today.

You see, if you’re smart and lazy then you’ll find the most graceful way to drop the pounds and get healthier, without having to try too hard and exhaust yourself. That’s exactly how easy, successful weight loss happens!

• This is the difference between say losing 15 pounds but beating yourself up and depriving yourself from what you need, vs. losing the same amount of weight while being inspired to eat healthy foods and smaller portions.
• This is also the difference between someone who loses e.g., 30 pounds, then takes it back, then loses it again, then takes it back, and someone else who loses 30 pounds – and that’s it! She doesn’t take the weight back again. She loses it once, and it’s over!

Every time you’re exhausting yourself in your attempt to get to a goal – you’re not trying the graceful way. There’s another solution that’s easier and takes less time, and it’s up to you to find it.

Truly lazy people have an advantage over their HARD-WORKER friends.

Unlike hardworkers who will immediately jump into “trying harder” mode, you will question the effectiveness of everything you think you need to do.

You’ll also find ways to make it really easy to do the right thing, instead of say, setting up yourself for failure by, e.g., not planning ahead.

As a lazy person, you’ll also refrain from doing anything that seems too hard. After all you’re lazy. And by doing this one simple thing, you save yourself from the Nr. #1 reason that hides behind yo-yo dieting: overwhelming amount of work!

No, this is not just being lazy, this is being smart. Like really smart.

That’s how successful weight loss happens. You see if you want to lose weight gracefully, you need to think. You cannot just do anything. You cannot just rush into action doing whatever. You cannot just start a diet hoping it will get results.

No, any time you depend on hope, you’re actually jeopardizing your success. And time you depend on hope, you reveal that you don’t have a strategy.

• Lack of strategy = Depending on hope.
• Lack of strategy = Wishing things will work out.
• Lack of strategy = Relying on daily conditions to do the right thing.

To have the advantage of being truly lazy, you have to become really smart first.

So today, I want to talk about the one thing that truly differentiates Smart Lazy people from everyone else.

And that’s willpower.

But before I talk about it, I want to ask you: Who do you think has more willpower? Is it the smart, lazy girl or the hardworking guy?

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Any guesses?

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Ok here’s the answer: It’s the hardworking guy. The hardworking guy really tries NOT to do the wrong thing and reeeeally tries to do the right thing.

The smart, lazy girl on the other hand, doesn’t even want to try. She wants it to be easy enough, so that she doesn’t have to debate with herself about eating that carrot or grabbing that ice-cream. She wants to take the carrot without even thinking about the ice-cream.

She doesn’t want to play the “discipline” game, so she stays out of it.

“But how can I do this Maria?”, you might ask.

Well first, let’s examine why willpower doesn’t work, and why not having enough is actually a good thing.

Seriously, if you don’t have enough willpower then you’re “doomed” to try to look for the lazy, smart way to successful weight loss, rather than keep beating the drum of the hardworking way!

When planning your successful weight loss strategy, assume that you have no willpower at all. That’s the best way to create an unbeatable plan of attack.

So if you are not allowed to plan for willpower saving the day, then what do you do?

Here are my successful weight loss guidelines.

1. Work on your mindset

Still spending your time judging yourself about how you look, making you feel that it’s pointless to even try to change the situation?

This time would be better spent enjoying some family time, reading your favorite book, or say, exercising. All activities make you feel good end encourage you to keep going than give it up.

You need mindset work:

• Stop being a bitch
• The Christmas Principle (avoid using this at your own peril)
• Forgive yourself
• Do a mindfulness experiment
• Get into a 30-day mindset bootcamp, and become unstoppable

2. Create healthy habits and daily routines

I know it doesn’t sound sexy, but habits are the easiest way to change. Just think about how effortlessly you put on your seat-belt every time you get into the car. You don’t even think about it!

Well, you can make the same things happen with losing weight. That’s how easy it can become.

• Principles of successful habits
• The power of small healthy habits in a world addicted to instant results
• 3 simple healthy habits you can start immediately
• How to start cooking at home, even if you hate cooking
• Make exercise a daily ritual you adore in 9 weeks

 3. Do what you love

No, I’m not talking about stuffing your face with chocolate. Nobody feels good with a heavy stomach. Instead, this is about self-care.

Taking care of yourself is the best-kept secret to successful weight loss. Be kind, stop judging, give yourself some love, and you will get it back 10x.

• When I don’t feel like going to the gym, I still work out. Not because I’m pressuring myself, but because I have developed my own favorite lazy routine. I love getting to move my body, without having to do hard stuff.
• Even though I know that HIIT can give me an hour’s results in 16 minutes, I still go on 1-1.5 hour walks. Why? Because I love it! I love being outdoors, getting some sunshine, listening to my favorite music, and that’s why I do it.
• I started this 15-minute daily morning routine just so that I can put myself in a good mood every day and increase my self-confidence. That’s how you can make every day a success.

So now you know that if you’re lazy then you’re actually in an advantaged position. What step will you take today to rely a little less on willpower?