A Great Willpower Helper Site
Many (most?) of the objectives we set out to accomplish rely almost entirely on on willpower (aka self-discipline). One of the most commonly selected objectives that people struggle with the most is weight loss. In looking for some nutritional research on brain function I recently stumbled upon a site that I believe will be of great help to any who are focused on that goal.
The site is called The Daily Plate (thedailyplate.com) and it has an enormous data base cataloging specific foods with their associated nutritional information. Once you enter some basic profile information the site will track the foods you consume (including water intake) and provide you an ongoing update on the calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, sugar, fiber and protein you consume. Upon entry of the data it gives you a running total of each of these elements you have consumed as well as a count down of the calories you have left for the day based on the monthly weight loss goals you entered. Not only that, but it provides you with a pie chart visual that gives you a clear picture of how much protein, carbohydrate and fat you have consumed (see below).
As an additional feature you can group the foods you most commonly consume as “meals.” For example, today I had an egg with cheese and a skinny latte for breakfast. I can select an option which gives these food items a common name (something creative like coffee & egg breakfast ). :) Or, I can leave them as individual selections and they will migrate to the top of your selection list based on how often you choose them.
Since one of the biggest hurdles in facing the demons associated with self growth is isolation, this site shows a lot of potential for keeping a person on target and motivated by charting even the least increments of success and placing the short failings in perspective so they don’t completely derail a person.
I typically, only endorse websites of people rather than organizations. But, this seems like a great tool for nudging us toward goals of self improvement.