[stormbrew]

> Self control is best method for maintaining weight, as it's free and guaranteed to work if used.

Studies done on it do not, as far as I've ever seen, back up the idea that it "works if used" in anything but the most tautological sense (ie. "Anyone who fails clearly didn't actually exert self-control").

If you're aware of any studies that show enduring weight loss in any but a small minority of participants with any regimen that fits your description, please share.

[RobertRoberts]

Self control is a fantastic way to quit cigarettes, alcohol, and other addictions, why would food be any different?

[number6]

Food can't enter your body legally if you don't consent?

Well if you have this self control in the first place, you would not need to quit - if you are addicted, you lost the control over yourself.

So pure self control probably won't cut it for most people. Talking about myself: I can go past just so many sweets till I falter. I didn't got the chocolate bar today but ate the cake at the birthday. I knew it will hurt my progress at the gym but I was just to tired from self control that I just gave in.

And then I am telling me; I must get better at self control. But how?

[RobertRoberts]

If you have ever changed anything about yourself, I would start there.

I have had to relearn self change multiple times, because it feels just as hard every time.

I changed from a night person to a morning person by first declaring truthfully to myself "many things will be easier if I was a morning person." (work, sleep, schedules, etc...) When you state something truthful to yourself, and you believe it, then you can't let it go.

Then I go for a single moment of success, the first win. With food, I did it by accident by missing a meal because I was engrossed. Then I realized I was more hungry and enjoyed my dinner more than most I could recall in recent history, because I hadn't snacked, and I skipped lunch. I wanted this feeling again. But the next day, I was hungry again, and it sucked. I was in pain and just wanted to eat.

Eventually I read somewhere that hunger pain is temporary and you just need to be patient through it. I drank coffee, tea, water, hot cocoa, anything to get through hunger pain. And the first time that it worked was eye opening. I found that I (me, not a pill, coach, friend, wife) I successfully fought off hunger pain with reason, practice, environment, tools (drinks) and I made it through the day without snacking or eating a meal until dinner.

I have many stories of changing something about myself, the are all similar in the emotional turmoil you feel trying to take control.

[kadoban]

It's not any different, in that it doesn't work for any of those either, on average.