Sloppy Weight Loss Aspirations Often Fail Quickly

Saying your New Year’s resolution is to lose weight sounds great, but it is not a clear-cut plan. Sloppy aspirations tend to fail quickly, where establishing a specific target for weight loss and lifestyle changes can produce the results you want. Not only should your weight loss goals be realistic, but it is also important that they are measurable. Unless you establish timelines to work towards, you are likely guilty of “someday syndrome” and could be failing without knowing it. If you focus on the processes that you are putting in place, you will have better control over your weight loss plan. That way, you can place your weight loss goals and targets on your timeline for easy weekly or monthly monitoring. If you focus on the number of pounds you have shed, it can leave you feeling lost once you’ve reached your target weight. Experts suspect this is where some dieters lose their motivation, revert to what they were doing, and put the weight back on.

• Lack of Support - To build your support mechanism, share your resolution and weight loss goals with your family, friends, and co-workers.
• Lack of Motivation - Very few people can stay committed to a weight loss program that requires them to repeat difficult tasks that produce few rewards. In fact, the best thing to do is to quit and start over with a personalized plan.
• Slow to Recover from Setbacks - Unless you are quick to recover from a setback, one slip up like eating donuts at work can derail your New Year’s resolution. Always react to setbacks in a timely manner.
• Unrealistic Weight Loss Goals - Sustainable weight loss is slow and steady. Observing a gradual decrease in weight means the changes to your menus are working.
• Resolution Too Vague - If your New Year’s resolution is too vague, it will not work. Truth is simply starting a new year doesn’t have long-term value, so set specific goals that have true meaning.
• Lack of Planning - Unless you’ve been working out on a regular basis, do not start by focusing on high intensity interval training or joining the bandwagon for pumping iron. Start smart and you are likely to stick with it.

Although a New Year’s resolution can help you set the stage to lose weight, it takes work and commitment to shed unwanted pounds and keep them off. It is the next step that is most difficult, which is to create a successful plan. Adopting a short-term change in dietary habits can help you drop a few pounds, but those who are overweight or obese need to make a commitment to improving their health and wellness by eating healthy for the long haul. If you launched your New Year’s resolution without a plan, you may have discovered a short-term dietary change is not going to work. You need to adopt a healthier lifestyle for long-term success. If you have made the resolution to lose weight this year, understand that you will likely gain the weight back unless you make a personal commitment to eating healthier and managing negative lifestyle issues.