Don’t Miss a Single Update or New Release! Sign up Today

Black Friday GET 1 MONTH FREE WITH ANY 3 MONTH PLAN OR LONGER, 2X NU BUCKS ON ALL PURCHASES
Offer Ends
1 Days 10 Hours 57 Minutes
Get the Discount! Get the Discount!

How to Keep Your New Year's Weight Loss Resolution

How to Keep Your New Year's Weight Loss Resolution
Dr. Constance Odom, MD
Dr. Constance Odom, MD
2 years ago / 6 min read

As the new year fast approaches, many people will resolve to lose weight in the New year. The New Year is a time of renewal and fresh beginnings. And while many people try to lose weight, keeping your New Year’s weight loss resolution can be tough. This begs the question: how does one keep this resolution?

Many people who embark on this weight loss journey will inevitably fail, but there are steps you can take to keep your weight loss efforts on track. According to experts, it may help to make a list of the bad habits that may keep you from losing weight. You must identify bad foods that are keeping you from losing weight. To lose weight, you may need to cut out candy, sugary sodas, and eating out.

As a general rule, meals made at home are healthier than meals prepared in restaurants.  Restaurants make their food with large amounts of salt, butter, and other unhealthy ingredients. Because of this, food products, especially those at coffee shops, are packed with calories. This inhibits weight loss. 

It may help to create a deadline for your weight loss. Set a specific date that you want to complete your weight loss by, and stick to it. Place this date on your calendar, and write down any factors that may keep you from losing weight. It may also help to have a plan of action. Write down a list of short-term and long-term goals that you wish to achieve over the course of your New Year’s diet. List out days that you will focus on weight training and the days you plan to do cardiovascular exercises. 

It also helps to get other people involved. Friends, loved ones, and coworkers are a big part of your life and can help you stay focused on your diet. Tell them about your goals and what you hope to achieve. According to experts, 80 percent of New Year’s diets will fail “within the first year” of dieting. But why do resolutions fail?

Many people simply lose motivation for their diet as the year progresses. These people resolve to lose weight, because it sounds like a good goal. However, sticking to a diet is harder than you may think. Many people fail to set realistic goals. It can help to involve a medical weight loss professional who can help you set realistic goals, such as aiming to lose two pounds per week. Losing this much weight may be easier for those who are obese and carry around a lot of weight. A professional can also give you advice on how to reach your goals.

Another way to keep your weight loss resolution is to set attainable goals. There are a number of things you can do to ensure you stick to your diet. You can make it your goal to eat healthier, eat less sugar, or start a new exercise routine. Don’t set yourself up for failure by resolving to lose 20 pounds in one month. This simply is not possible, so it is a good idea to start small with your weight loss goals. If you resolve to lose 20 pounds in a month, you are likely to lose steam and abandon your diet completely. 

It may also help to create a meal preparation routine. Set aside some time every weekend to prepare and plan your meals for the coming week. You can prepare these meals ahead of time and decide what you want to eat each day. This keeps you from deviating from your diet and indulging in unhealthy foods. Keep only healthy foods, such as vegetables and whole grains, in your refrigerator. 

Keep high protein foods in your refrigerator as well. This keeps you from eating unhealthy food, and you have the option to only eat foods that are good for you. According to PubMed, it helps to practice “cognitive restraint,” while you’re on a diet. This approach to dieting is psychological, and you must be able to restrain yourself from eating unhealthy foods when the temptation arises. 

Be aware of what you’re eating, and remember that your food choices are going to affect the number on your scale. Planning what to eat before you actually eat a meal will keep you from consuming bad food. When you’re ravenous, it can be easy to grab whatever you want to satisfy your appetite. Also, don’t deprive yourself of an occasional treat. Keep a tasty snack, such as an apple, in your kitchen. An apple can satisfy your craving for something sweet, while keeping you from eating processed and sugary foods. 

In addition to eating healthy, it is important to get in a regular exercise routine. Working out regularly and at the same time each day will help you stick to your weight loss goals. It will also get your blood pumping. Pick a specific time to work out each day. You can change the duration of your workout, depending on how you are feeling. As a rule, experts recommend getting 30 minutes of exercise five days per week. If you’re feeling sluggish or need a break, scale back on the time you exercise that day.

Scaling back occasionally will help you keep your energy, so you can work out harder the next day. While many people may find it hard to fit exercise and diet into their daily routine, doing so will help you accomplish your goals more quickly. Exercising regularly is absolutely essential to stay healthy and keep your diet on track. 

To keep your weight loss resolution, it is important to stay active through exercise. Set aside a time each day to exercise, and stick to that time frame, if possible. In addition to helping you lose weight, exercising improves the health of your brain, reduces your risk of diseases, and improves your heart health. Your heart is the “most critical” organ in your body, so it is important to do everything in your power to keep it healthy.

To stay motivated, experts recommend setting small goals in the beginning. Aim first to take two walks per week. You can step up the frequency of your workouts. According to experts, exercising five days per week is ideal, but don’t worry if you can’t match that goal each week. If five days is too much, you can set a goal to exercise three to four times each week. It is healthy to lose about one pound per week, so be realistic. Don’t expect to lose two pounds per week if you can’t dedicate at least three days to exercising. 

Try not to rely solely on the number on your scale to measure your success. Muscle has weight, and in some cases, can cause you to gain weight. Because of this, the number on your scale may not reflect your success. However, if you find that you are more toned, you may be slimming down and building muscle. It may also help to identify the foods that get you in trouble. Pinpoint the foods that you may overeat, but make sure not to remove them from your diet temporarily.  

Everyone deserves a treat once in a while, so keep cheat foods in your house. Indulge in them occasionally as a reward for your weight loss efforts. This will reduce your cravings and make it easier to stay focused on your diet. This is the reason many people abandon their diets. They limit themselves so much to certain foods that they give up and eat bad foods.

Another way to stick to your diet is to start it before the New Year. The more you put off starting a diet, the harder it will be to start and stay motivated. It’s easy to make excuses for not starting your diet, so starting early can help you stick with it. It may also help to identify any barriers you may encounter on your weight loss journey.  

Don’t immediately throw yourself into a New Year’s diet. Instead, aim to improve your lifestyle by beginning to eat healthy before the New Year begins. If you make drastic changes too quickly, you set yourself up for failure. Instead, ease yourself in by eating one healthy food per day. You can increase the number of healthy foods you eat as the New Year approaches. 

Proper time management is also essential to sticking to your diet. Managing your time can be difficult when you start a new diet regimen. Plan your weekly workouts ahead of time. It may help to time your workouts around your work schedule. Try working out in the morning before you go to work. That way, your exercise is out of the way, and you can focus on your work for the rest of the day. Working out in the morning can help you make better choices when it comes to your food. 

However, early morning workouts are better if you’re a morning person. If you are not a morning person, pick a time each day when you have the most energy. Believe it or not, it is possible to become a morning person, even if you are not. You can do this by preparing breakfast ahead of time. That way, you don’t have to bother with meal preparation when you are just waking up.

 

11 Sources 

Nu Image Medical has strict sourcing guidelines to ensure our content is accurate and current. We rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We strive to use primary sources and refrain from using tertiary references. 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29698017/

https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/pa-health/index.htm

https://www.nwphysicians.com/7-simple-steps-keeping-new-years-weight-loss-resolution/

https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/metabolic-and-bariatric-surgery-blog/2019/july/how-to-stop-food-cravings

https://www.allrecipes.com/article/unhealthy-restaurant-foods-to-avoid/

https://nutriformance.com/10-habits-that-prevent-weight-loss/

https://www.performancehealth.com/articles/how-to-keep-your-new-years-resolution-weight-loss

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/obesity/doctors-who-specialize-in-obesity

https://www.beachbodyondemand.com/blog/how-to-stick-to-your-new-years-resolution-to-lose-weight

https://www.genesishealthclubs.com/blog/health/5-ways-to-make-your-new-year-s-diet-and-fitness-resolutions-stick.html

https://www.adityabirlacapital.com/healthinsurance/active-together/2018/10/23/unhealthy-food-you-should-try-to-avoid/


This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your physician about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Nu Image Medical may not offer the medications or services mentioned in this article.

Share on: