written by: Laura Mierzwa and Julia Davie, NutriChem Registered Holistic Nutritionists
For the past few decades, weight loss has been one of the most common common New Year's resolutions. People usually start out saying the same thing too: "I'm going to get back into a fitness routine and eat healthy." By if you're like most people, by the time February rolls around, you’re left feeling frustrated and burnt out from the stress of trying to follow your resolution with (yet again), little to no success.
Well we're here to tell you that we’ve all been there before, so don’t feel alone! Here are the 5 things you NEED to know to be successful at your weight loss-related New Year's resolution! And if you have a resolution that's not related to weight loss, these tips can still help you ensure you stick to your goals.
1. Make it attainable
Most importantly, don’t set goals that are too extreme or stressful. Research shows that many people will tend to drop out of tasks that seem impossible to complete or overwhelming. For example, if you want to lose 15 pounds, that number can seem like a lot! But if you break that down to a 4 month goal, so that every week you’re aiming to lose 1 pound, the "lose 15 pounds" goal seems much easier to attain!
So instead of "I want to lose 15 pounds," say, "I want to lose 1 pound per week for 4 months, for a total of 15 pounds."
2. Write it down with your reason why
When you write down your goals and include the "why" behind your wanting to attain them, you will be more likely to stick it out. Plus, by posting it somewhere you'll see every day like your planner, fridge, or bathroom mirror, it will keep your goal fresh in your mind.
So instead of "I want to start eating healthier," say, “I want to start eating healthier so I'll have more energy to play with my kids after work.”
3. Weigh the benefits
We’re not talking about the number on the scale here: instead of looking at weight loss as a number, look at it through other measurements, such as how your clothes fit! If adapting to a healthier lifestyle is your thing, you can rate your energy, mood and sleep on a scale of 1-5 and reflect back every 2 weeks!
So instead of "I want to lose weight to play with my kids," say, "I want to adopt a healthier lifestyle so that I can have enough energy to play with my kids."
4. Don’t be hard on yourself
Nobody is perfect and we all slip up sometimes. Just remember that it’s not the end of the world and that tomorrow is another day to start fresh.
So instead of "I can never do anything right," say, "I made some bad choices today, but have the power to try to do better tomorrow."
5. Reach out for support
Discussing your goals with family and friends is a great way to stay motivated. As a bonus, they may even want to join you! If that’s not an option, you can also reach out to one of our Registered Holistic Nutritionists to help keep you on track!
So instead of "It's so hard to do this on my own," say, "I'm going to ask for help from my loved ones, or go directly to the experts!"
NutriChem's Nutritionists are offering support for your health goals! Sign up for the winter session of the Journey to Weight Loss by clicking the image below.
Use discount code NEWSLETTER50 to save $50.
Offer valid until January 31, 2017. Start date is flexible.