I’m not a big fan of New Year’s Resolutions. Most people make overly challenging resolutions that have not been thought through or planned at all. When they fail after just a few short months, they exclaim sadly “ I give up!- I can never lose weight!”
This then lets them off the hook entirely for another full year when….. guess what?
It’s New Year’s again! Remember the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Sound familiar?
I have NEVER…… let me repeat, NEVER met anyone who has “tried everything” and still can’t lose weight. What this usually means is that they tried some crappy diet or exercise regimen that was just a quick fix, or was so extreme they could not sustain it. That’s our typical New Year’s Resolution, right? Of course it’s never going to work. No planning, no patience, no long term follow through.
My goal today is to get you to think about a different type of New Year’s Resolution. Resolutions you can actually stick with! Our motto for today is: Under promise, over deliver. We all know weight loss requires major nutritional changes. But they can’t be made all at once, and the changes must be changes you can live with forever. Change is not an on/off switch, it is a dimmer switch. We are capable of ramping up our changes over time only once we master our initial goals. Here are 5 easy to master nutritional changes that you can live with forever, and will start you on your way to long term, permanent success.
1-Commit to eating a serving of vegetables at every meal. YES every meal- even breakfast. If you enjoy veggies, commit to eating them at every snack as well. This does not mean you ONLY eat veggies- it just means you ADD them in. Oh, by the way, potatoes don’t count as veggies!
2-Cut in half your consumption of refined carbs. You don’t have to give up carbs entirely, just cut them in half. Have a sandwich with just 1 piece of bread. Have just 1 cup of pasta rather than two.
3-Commit to 15 minutes of exercise a day. Just 15 minutes. You can ramp it up later.
4-Post sticky notes with reminders or inspirational messages in your car or around your home. “Just Do it” is one of my favorites. Or even just the word “NO” posted on the fridge or cabinet to remind you to not eat mindlessly.
5-Keep a food log. OOPS! This one is harder. But it must be done. No negotiating. Dieters who keep food logs are 60-70% more likely to be successful. Keep them even if you are eating poorly. Just keep them.
Once you’ve mastered these 5 tips, you can ramp up, but you must walk before you run. Patience, planning and preparation are necessary parts of permanent weight loss. These 5 resolutions are the start to your weight loss success.