We’ve all made New Year’s resolutions and sometimes we stick at it for a month, sometimes we make it so easy for ourselves that we do OK, and sometimes we can’t even remember what it was the next time NYE comes around.
Not surprisingly a high percentage of New Year’s resolutions relate to weight loss, reduced alcohol consumption, more exercise and eating healthier. Here are some reasons for why these types of New Year’s Resolutions don’t work:
- YOUR GOAL IS NOT CLEAR
New Year’s resolutions are typically broad statements that lack specific outcomes or consequences. A better approach is to create a set of goals that are SMART – Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Realistic and Time bound. What do you want to achieve? How much weight do you want to lose? Does this equate to a specific dress size? Is it there exercise milestone you’d like to achieve ie. chin-ups or push-ups? By when? SMART Goals start to setup accountability and a structure to your journey.
- YOUR REASON FOR CHANGE IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH
Having a meaningful and personal reason “WHY” you want to make a lifestyle change, provides you with motivation during the tough times…ie. finding the motivation to go to training, making time to plan your week and prep your meals. Your “WHY” will be the driving force that pushes you towards achieving your goals and making the right choices day in day out.
- YOU HAVE A DIET MINDSET
If your approach to weight loss is to go “on a diet”, then your results will be short lived. Losing weight needs to be a lifestyle style change, not something that happens over a short period of time. Often when people are “on a diet” they restrict themselves to certain foods which is unsustainable. Then they go “off the diet” and return to how they normally eat. This plays havoc with their metabolism and they put the weight back on. A more sustainable approach is to see your weight loss journey as a change in lifestyle to support long term weight loss. Changing your habits, mindset and lifestyle, and you’ll find that losing weight will happen without as much hard work.
- THERE IS NO STRUCTURE OR ACCOUNTABILITY
Having a goal supported by a strong “WHY” is a great start, but it’s not until you share this with someone that you make yourself accountable to achieving that goal. Consider sharing this with someone who can help you to achieve your goal. Someone who can provide you with a structured plan for your exercise and guidance with your nutrition. Recording data and being accountable will help your coach to keep you on track.
The one thing that derails our ability to achieve our goals is our habits. By recording data and sharing this with your coach they will be able to guide you to develop alternative lifestyle habits that will get you closer to your goals.
Enlisting a coach to provide you with a structured program and the level of accountability you need to succeed, is the single most valuable thing you can do you to achieve your weight loss goals this year.
- YOU DON’T HAVE THE RIGHT SUPPORT NETWORK
As well as enlisting a great coach, it’s important to surround yourself with people who will support you…this is your support network. This is a group of people you can always rely on to keep on track during your weight loss journey. Pick you up when things get you down and celebrate with when you experience success. To empower you and motivate you. It could be people who have similar goals to you, your family or friends.
NEED HELP REACHING YOUR GOALS?
At Vitality Transformations I help people set SMART goals, discover their “WHY”, provide the right amount structure and accountability for each individual within a supportive network, to help them overcome the habits that have led to their weight gain.
If you want to finally lose that weight once and for all click here to learn about our 12 month Body and Lifestyle Transformation Program. Our next program starts on 24th January 2022. Only 3 places remaining.