(NaturalNews) An estimated 45 million Americans go on a diet annually, spending a whopping $33 billion on weight-loss products to achieve their slimming goals. Unfortunately, it's no secret that many of these people eventually stray from their healthy habits, giving into several slices of pizza or check-out aisle candy bars. They often chalk up their inability to stay on track to having a lack of willpower, saying they can't exercise self-restraint when an eclair is staring them in the face.

However, weight loss expert Dr. Sally Norton suggests that the notion of willpower should be tossed to the curb; she maintains that it's basically an outdated thought that fails to address the real issue behind a dieter's urge to reach for unhealthy foods. "So many people think they can just cut back on food and rely on willpower to lose weight," Norton says. "Unless you understand your 'who, where, why and when' weak spots, your willpower will fail you – guaranteed."

How the four Ws can help dieters achieve weight loss goals

Instead, the four Ws Norton references are thought to be significantly better ways to achieve weight loss. They encourage dieters to delve into the reasons behind overeating or gravitating towards unhealthy foods so they can stop themselves from engaging in the diet failure cycle. A better understanding of these triggers, according to Norton, is much more effective in achieving weight loss than dabbling in willpower nonsense.

Here's a closer look at how the four W's can help people who are trying to lose weight:

• Who: Norton suggests being more mindful of the people around you that might be causing you to overeat. This could be a friend who always offers to pay for decadent desserts or a colleague who jokes about how "just one candy bar won't hurt." By being aware of the people who could be sabotaging your weight loss efforts, you can learn to avoid certain people or say no to their junk food temptations.
• Where: Whether it's a pastry shop you see while walking to work or an unending menu at a restaurant, plenty of unhealthy food choices abound. Norton urges dieters to pay close attention to the environment they're in and how it might produce irresistible urges that lead to diet failure. For example, if passing by that pastry shop is too tempting, Norton suggests re-routing your walk. Even crossing the street prior to the bakery may suffice. At restaurants, she suggests avoiding menu temptations by reviewing menus online first so you're less inclined to gravitate towards diet-ruining choices that people often order during in-the-moment scenarios.
• Why: Many people overeat when they're under emotional duress. Therefore, Norton thinks it's a good idea for dieters to pause and ask themselves why they are reaching for a pint of ice cream. Are you attempting to silence a fear through food? Are you bored, angry or anxious about something?
• When: By getting in tune to the specific times dieters tend to overeat, Norton maintains that they can get a better handle on their weight loss efforts. Noticing if mid-day munchies are the norm or after-dinner refrigerator trips are common is important so that efforts can be made to change them. Norton suggests that dieters engage in activities that distract them from overeating during those times, which might even be as simple as going to bed earlier.

Willpower has been an outdated myth for years

The idea that willpower is a moot point for dieters is not new. More than a decade ago, a New York Times article reported on the topic and noted that many professionals considered willpower a dieting myth. "There is no magical stuff inside of you called willpower that should somehow override nature," Dr. James C. Rosen, a professor of psychology at the University of Vermont, said in the article. "It's a metaphor that most chronically overweight dieters buy into."

Sources for this article include:
DailyMail.co.uk
NYTimes.com