Reach Your Weight Loss Goals

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Weight Loss Resolution – Losing Weight in the New Year

Losing Weight in the New YearAre you one of the many people who made a New Year’s weight loss resolution? Are you also like a majority of those people and have already failed, or will fail before the end of January? Why is it that so many people make New Year’s resolutions to lose weight or get in shape and never seem to achieve their goal? Is it because they set unrealistic goals, or maybe goals with no measurable success?

If you’re trying to lose weight, make sure you set realistic weight loss goals. Everyone would love to be able to lose 50 pounds in one month, but it’s just not realistic, and it also isn’t healthy to lose weight that quickly. Remember that weight loss isn’t just about having a slimmer body, or fitting into smaller clothes, but it’s also about having a healthier mind and body. You are also probably more likely to stick with your weight loss resolution if your success is measurable. If your goal is to lose 5 pounds a week, or maybe you want to lose a few inches off your waist by the end of the month, then these are ways to measure your weight loss success. Don’t just say I want to lose a lot of weight, come up with a realistic number and set a realistic time frame. Just remember that when it comes to weight loss, it’s not all or nothing. If you want to lose 5 pounds in a week and you only lost 3 or 4 pounds at the end of the week, that doesn’t mean it’s time to throw in the towel and claim you weight loss attempt a failure.

Break your weight loss goals into smaller chunks. If you want to lose 60 pounds, don’t just say “I want to lose 60 pounds by the end of …”, break that 60 pound weight loss goal into manageable chunks. Know that your ultimate goal is to lose 60 pounds, but break that weight loss into smaller pieces. 5 pounds a week, 20 pounds a month and 60 pounds in about 3 to 4 months.

Remember that humans respond very well to reward. If you set a weight loss goal and you reached it, or got close, be sure to reward yourself for you hard work and determination. Maybe tell yourself that if you lose 3 to 5 pounds in a week, then you can enjoy that piece of cheesecake in the fridge, or maybe if you lose a few inches off your waist, then you’ll buy yourself that dress you’ve been wanting.

I recently spoke with a friend who attends the gym 5 days a week and has been doing so for several years and she expressed her frustration for how busy her gym has become recently. Most of the time, she can go to the gym and complete her workout without having to wait for a machine, but starting January 1st of every year, her gym is overrun with workout and weight loss wannabes. She said she can’t wait until the end of January, when most if not all of the new members will disappear and she will again have her gym back. This pattern highlights the fact that humans seem to have a very hard time sticking to a weight loss and fitness plan.

If you choose to lose weight by going on a diet, make sure you choose one that isn’t too restrictive about what foods and what types of foods you can eat. If a diet is too restrictive and too limiting, it makes it more difficult to follow the diet and increases the chances you’ll get frustrated and quit. That’s one of the main reasons I really like The Idiot Proof Diet. On this diet, you have lots of delicious foods to choose from, and you can start to see results in a relatively short amount of time. In 11 days, you can see weight loss around 9 pounds. That means you don’t have to wait a long time to see the diet is working. Also, at the end of 11 days, you get to REWARD yourself with a 3 day cheat period. Even though the diet is full of delicious foods, this means you never have to wait more than 11 days to eat the "bad" food you’re craving. With this diet, the name says it all; it really is The Idiot Proof Diet. Forget about counting calories, and you can throw your food log in the trash, because you won’t need it. This diet will let you lose weight in 4 easy steps.

  1. Use the online diet generator to create your 11 day diet menu.

  2. Eat 4 times a day.

  3. Eat until you’re almost full. No portion limits.

  4. Enjoy the 3 day cheat period.


Having a good game plan for weight loss can help you achieve your weight loss goals and also help you measure your success. Remember to set realistic weight loss goals and reward yourself when you achieve them.

If you started the year with a New Year’s weight loss resolution and failed, please take time to comment on this post. I’m very interested in hearing from readers about why they failed, and how they felt when they failed to achieve their New Years Weight Loss resolution.

It would also be great to hear from readers who set weight loss resolutions and have stuck with it. What was your weight loss resolution and what are you doing to ensure success? How are you rewarding yourself for reaching your goal? Do you feel you set realistic weight loss goals and maybe that’s the key to your success?

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