Worry Less About Weight and Embrace the New Start

About half of the people who make a New Year’s resolution want to lose weight, while others focus their goal on exercising more, eating healthier, or making lifestyle changes like stopping smoking. Enjoying less body fat, increased energy levels, and improved self-esteem are positive outcomes. Worry less about making soap-box statements about grandiose achievements and keep your intent real. If your New Year’s resolution is to lose weight, look at the journey as a fresh start that will allow you to adopt a new, healthier lifestyle. The outcome will be more promising. When you share your goals with the important people in your world, it is much easier to recruit supporters. In fact, when friends and family believe you are serious, they are more apt to keep you accountable by asking how you are doing.

• Unrealistic Weight Loss Goals - Never try to lose weight too fast. A gradual decrease in weight means the changes you’ve made to your diet are sustainable and the weight you lose is permanent.
• Resolution Too Vague - Avoid fad diets and questionable fitness studies that unnecessarily make healthy weight loss more confusing. Instead, set daily goals for moving more and following a personalized menu plan.
• Lack of Planning - The best plan for losing weight is one that is personalized for your dietary, physical, and unique medical needs. Avoid fashionable diets that promise fast results with little effort.
• Lack of Support - Ideally, you will find a weight loss partner before you launch your journey. Having someone to check up on you, and vice versa, can help during tougher times.
• 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 - Not everything is going to work smoothly every day. That’s why it is important to take time for yourself. This will provide a built-in opportunity to assess any setbacks.

Now that you’ve made your New Year’s resolution, try breaking down your actual goal into specific steps. That will let you track your progress and adjust your weight loss plan if you encounter obstacles along the way. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, your long-term goals should be focused on living a healthier life. Adopting new eating habits and staying active is a smarter approach than targeting an exact number of pounds. Taking the time to plan your weight loss journey can help you convert your thoughts into sustainable actions. This can mean the difference between a successful New Year’s resolution and another failed attempt. Unless you devote the time, resources, motivation, or determination to accomplish your goals, making a New Year’s resolution to lose weight is waste of time. Make sure the goals you set are relevant and attainable.