Are you Unable or Unwilling?

Adapted from an article by Dr. John H. Skare
The title is pretty challenging, isn't it? We have to look inside ourselves to find out what it is that holds us back.
One of the major obstacles to successful weight management is a person's unwillingness to suffer through the discomfort that comes before (or during) change. The real problem here is that, to most people, this unwillingness is perceived as and accepted as inability. Once you convince yourself that you can't do something, you set the stage for failure and lose sight of your dream.
The difference between unwillingness and inability is very similar to the difference between can't and won't. You see, once we have convinced ourselves that we can't handle the discomfort that accompanies a lifestyle change, the game is pretty much over. The reality is that you CAN. You just don't, won't or choose not to because it is perceived as ‘too hard', ‘too inconvenient' or ‘too SOMETHING'.
By saying ‘I can't,' we give up responsibility, and when it comes to lifestyle change, it's that initial period of discomfort that sends most people running back to old, familiar, self-destructive behaviours.
Change is very difficult, and it's an emotional endeavor for most people. It's hard work.
But, if you look simply at healthy eating, it's really a degree of psychological unease that we feel when faced with denying ourselves foods that we desire but that we are trying to avoid.
Some people are able to handle more discomfort than others. We all have different tolerance levels, and in weight loss, your ability to tolerate this psychological discomfort is critical to your success. Remember: there is no physical pain. It is mental. I am not a personal trainer forcing you to do 50 walking lunges – now that's painful!
Dealing with the discomfort of change is all a part of the success formula. People who struggle to quit smoking offer another great example of the power of discomfort. Remember also, that there comes a point in the weight loss process where many people just don't feel like they can continue any longer. For a long distance runner they might say they've ‘hit the wall'. It is not a wall, however, but simply a fork in the road. This is where you either give up and return to old habits or get stronger and move forward.
It is at this important juncture that you realize only YOU can move you, only YOU can feel you, only YOU can live you and only YOU can change you.
Is there an answer to this? Awareness of this issue will move you in the right direction, but successfully handling and working through the discomfort is the real answer. In other words, you have to learn to work through the discomfort and tough it out.
You make it happen. You DO have the power, even though you may not feel it. Turn your discomfort with change (or the discomfort you feel when you realize that eating properly is a necessary life-long habit to learn) into motivation. Know how you will feel day by day when you learn to handle the discomfort. Know how much better you will feel when you achieve that sense of control over food. Know how you will feel physically when you lose just a few more pounds.
You can do it. Keep trying, and don't ever give up.
Dr. Doug