Self-Control and Discipline Are All You Need for Weight Loss Success — True or False?

FALSE. While self-control and discipline are often praised as the keys to weight loss and health success, there’s a more practical and powerful element that often gets overlooked: good planning.

The Myth of Self-Control and Discipline

There has been a lot shared lately about the importance of self-control and self-discipline when it comes to weight loss and health. I’d like to share some important messages about these thoughts with you which are more valuable and practical. Living in a world filled with temptation, peer pressure, time restraints, stress and misinformation, it’s important to understand what is truly needed to reach your goals.

When looking at people who have successfully maintained their health and weight loss goals long term compared to those who haven’t, some interesting differences emerge. Believing that self-discipline and self-control are the only keys to success only paints part of the picture. The most important element to success in weight loss and long term sustainable health has more to do with good PLANNING than discipline and control.

Studies report that those who have been successful in achieving their desired goals are not necessarily more disciplined or controlled, but rather, they are good PLANNERS! Research shows that long-term success in weight loss isn’t just about having more self-control or discipline. Instead, it often comes down to effective planning and creating supportive habits.

This means setting up your environment, scheduling meals and activity ahead of time, and making healthier choices easier and more automatic. This idea is supported by the concept of implementation intentions — a psychological strategy where people plan exactly when, where, and how they will perform a behaviour. Studies show that forming these specific plans increases the likelihood of following through, reducing reliance on willpower alone (Gollwitzer, 1999).

Additionally, habit formation plays a key role. When behaviours are planned and repeated in consistent contexts, they become habits that require less conscious effort and discipline over time (Lally et al., 2010). This shift from effortful self-control to automatic habits explains why good planners tend to maintain success better.

Why Planning Beats Willpower

Imagine walking into a supermarket at dinner time, hungry, tired, stressed and in a hurry. Even the most disciplined or self-controlled person would find it difficult to leave without a bad choice: chocolate, a pre-packaged meal, chips, cheese, breads or sugary drinks. Now re-imagine this situation with a good plan in place. The outcome would be completely different.

How Can Good Planning Help You?

Here are some of my tips to help you PLAN FOR SUCCESS, rather than being tied to the negative perception that you just need to be better disciplined or controlled:

• Shop Smart: Always go to the supermarket after eating (not when you are hungry). Bring a shopping list (based on your eating plan), give yourself enough time to find what you need and enjoy the process, knowing how good this is going to make you feel. For ease of shopping brands and products, download my Supermarket Guide which outlines the recommended foods to choose from.
  Supermarket Guide
• Meal Plan & Prep: Spend one day a week meal planning and prepping. Check your meal plan and see what you can prepare ahead of time. Batch cooking makes for great weeknight meals where all you need is to heat and go. Keep your pantry stocked with easy grab-and-go lunches where you are not tempted to grab the takeaway option or loaded cheese sandwich. Rice cups, tuna, buckwheat cakes, avocado, hard boiled eggs, smoked salmon, veggies and sprouts are all easy combinations. Plan what is achievable and enjoy the process. Engage help from kids, partners or friends if it makes it more fun. My Meal Plans are filled with easy and nutritious breakfast options which you simply throw together and meals that can all be prepared ahead of time.
• Plan When Eating Out: Plan before going out for a meal. Check the menu, make a sensible choice and don’t leave too hungry. You’re doomed to eat the free bread roll and butter otherwise. Check my Eating Out Guide in my Meal Plans to help you make the best choices when eating out, and how to avoid overconsuming calorie dense and ultra-processed meals.
• Daily Movement: Plan to move daily. Find something that you love. If you don’t enjoy exercise, you will never be consistent with it. It can be simple. Walking and yoga are my passions. I have plans in place so I don’t miss a day. When the weather is bad, I choose to walk on the treadmill. Listening to inspiring podcasts and messages helps the time pass with ease, and online daily yoga classes keep me going when I can’t get out for classes. These techniques can be applied to most exercise activities you love. Planning is key!
• Hydration: Plan your daily water intake. Do you use a water bottle or other techniques to ensure you reach your 2 litre goal daily? If adding a squeeze of lime or lemon juice to your water helps you drink more, then this becomes part of your plan for success.
• Practice Mindfulness: Rather than thinking you have to have self-control and discipline, spend your time being mindful. Some mindful practices may include eating in silence, practicing gratitude, self or guided meditation, journaling your goals and feelings and creating peaceful spaces to be present in.
• Plan for Social Events: When invited out for dinner with friends or family, plan ahead of time. What is being served? Bring a plate of something similar designed in a healthy way that you can enjoy and share with others. It takes the stress off feeling obliged to eat the ultra-processed and calorie rich meals which may be on offer. This will also relieve you from bloating and sluggishness when consuming poor foods, and you’ll be surprised at how many others actually enjoy the food you share! For more ideas on healthy recipes, see my free recipes here: Free Healthy Recipes
• Watch My Videos: Also check my many healthy recipe videos posted on my Instagram page.
• A Plan for Chocolate Lovers: Finally, I created the perfect plan to support my love of chocolate in a healthy way. I created an Eating Plan where I can enjoy a dose of healthy chocolate daily as part of my eating ritual. The plan is based on small meals throughout the day, to leave enough calories to enjoy some healthy chocolate too. Have you started on one of my Eating Plans? You have many options here.