How Do I make My New Years Weight Loss Resolution Stick?

We’ve all done it.  Decided that THIS is the year when things will be different.  That THIS is the year when we will eat healthy, exercise daily, lose those kilos that we have accumulated, change our lives for the better etc etc etc.

Why have we failed so many times in the past?

There are 4 main reasons for weight loss failure:

1. The regime was too unrealistic to continue – diet too clean, exercise too hard, didn’t have time for it.
2. Life happened, got out of the habit.
3. We had nobody to hold us accountable so it was too easy to let it go, we didn’t COMMIT by announcing our plans to everyone.
4. Living or spending significant time with a saboteur.

The fact is, that sometimes you’re just not ready.  But when you are, you make it happen.  One day you look at yourself in a photo or you try on some old clothing and realise that you are definitely not as skinny as you used to be, and you are actually headed in a very bad direction.  How is that going to end?

• Maybe you avoid catching up with people who haven’t seen you in a while because you don’t want them to NOTICE that you have changed so dramatically?
• Maybe you have children and you realise that if you don’t change what you do, they are going to end up following in your footsteps?

There is no need to wait for New Year to make these changes, we just like to do it to keep things all neat and tidy.  And it means we don’t have to start straight away.

What’s even worse, is sometimes we don’t even start.  “It’s going to be too hard.  Who wants to live like that, running all the time and eating lettuce leaves all the time?  I like to enjoy my food!  I’m not THAT bad!”

(I like to enjoy my food too; but maybe I like to enjoy home made tacos a lot more than I like to eat from my local Heart-Attack-In-A-Convenient-Package outlet).

Here’s my advice: start NOW.

And research foods and exercise.  The more you know your enemy, the less afraid of him you become!

When you learn about how different foods affect your body, you learn to desire a better substitute.  And discipline with food isn’t about taking all the fun out of it.  You can substitute soft drink with sparkling mineral water with a squeeze of lemon or lime.  You can substitute artificially coloured/flavoured items with more natural ones.  You can substitute high sugar treats with lower sugar treats.

You can improve the quality of the foods you eat by choosing organic meat and veg.  Home cooking meals doesn’t take that long.  I work incredibly long hours at my gym and still go home and cook food, but sometimes it’s my easy go-to-meal if I have nothing fresh on hand (tuna mornay on rice is a bit of a favourite).

“Your diet doesn’t have to be perfect. That WOULD be boring…”

Here’s the thing.  Your diet doesn’t have to be perfect.  That WOULD be boring and I think I would personally die if I could never eat chocolate again.  You don’t have to exercise every day either.  But, you do need to do it about 3 times per week, for about 45 minutes.  If you aren’t able to self motivate, it’s best you seek personal training so you have someone to hold you accountable.

Too many people join the gym and stop attending after 3 weeks because they can’t hold themselves accountable.  Sorry, but if this is really what you want, and you know you can’t hold yourself accountable, you have to invest more money and pay someone to keep you accountable.

Isn’t it better to spend $80 and get $80 value than to spend $14 and get $0 value?

Keep home food as good food.  When you go out with friends or family, then eat whatever you like.  Your body can handle poor food once a week (once a fortnight is better) – but it can’t handle it on a daily basis.  That’s when cracks start to appear.  Energy levels drop, clothes start to shrink, thinking becomes clouded and emotions get high.

If you are spending significant time with a weight loss saboteur, you will have to strategise around that.

You will have to be very strong and will have to speak to them about your goals and how much they mean to you.  You will have to pick them up on it when they sabotage your efforts by offering you foods that tempt you but are not good for you.  Be kind because they are likely facing their own battles, but be clear that your goal is set and make it clear that you do NOT want them to tempt you to fail.  You will have to make your goal more important to you than appeasing your saboteur by taking part in their temptation.

Offices are terrible places for this sort of thing.  There’s always someone who keeps lollies (sweets) on the desk.  I suggest keeping something healthy around for you to eat when you are tempted by lollies, or try to have them removed for the good of everyone in the office.

Whatever you are planning for this New Year, I hope it brings you a big smile, a body that you are proud of, great achievements and a long term fulfilment of your New Year’s Resolution (whatever that may be).