Jordin Sparks Shows Off New Fab Body: Does Weight Loss Simply Take Willpower Or Is It Something More?

By Leslie Pitterson
There are few things that the entire blogosphere unanimously agrees on. But every once in a while, miracles do happen and reaction to Jordin Spark’s weight loss has been positive across the board.

The American Idol star revealed her newly trim body at Muhammad Ali Celebrity Fight Night XVII in Phoenix. Jordin says she has weighed as much as 200 pounds at her heaviest , but has been working hard on eating healthier and exercising more.

Her hard work has certainly paid off. After months of getting it in at the gym and keep the unhealthy foods out her diet, the 5’10” singer has shed 30 pounds. The loss is a dramatic one for any one but with her very visible lifestyle the star has been put as the centerpiece of everyone’s favorite before and after shots.

Going from a size 12 to a size 6 is a huge accomplishment for any sister but often in the world of celebrity weight loss, stories like Jordin’s can become just another story of dramatic results seemingly happening overnight.

Of course celebrities, with access to personal trainers and chefs have an advantage on sticking to a new regimen but that doesn’t mean getting results is impossible for you. According to new research the willpower that many of us believe is necessary to achieve weight loss is often overrated.

James Hill, executive director of the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center at the University of Colorado says that while willpower is essential to losing weight, it isn’t everything.

“Willpower is not inexhaustible,” he says. “You only have a certain amount of it, and it’s gone.”

Hill instead offers an interesting approach to weigh loss, telling people that they can target the vulnerable moments in their weight loss journey by picturing the moments where they feel “fat.”

So what are the top moments where a diet breaks? According to Hill:

1. On vacation
   
2. After a break-up
   
3. A party with fabulous food
   
4. Watching TV
   
5. At a buffet, or a restaurant with enormous portions

While it’s easy to plan out a diet on a day to day basis, it’s the highs and lows that can often derail our plans. Hill says that by envisioning those weak moments, we allow ourselves to see the scenarios where we could falter and prepare ourselves for them before they pop up. Heading to a function- eat a head of time. Dealing with a bad breakup, don’t wallow- force yourself to be active. By tracing our patterns ahead of time, we give ourselves the ability to foresee possibly pitfalls and avoid them. When you can see your blind spots of emotional or mindless eating, you allow yourself the ability to charge forward on the way to your best self.