January is not over yet, which means it's not too late to start on your new year's resolutions. I love the idea of a fresh start-- it's a clean slate to attempt new successes and correct past failures. However, most people fail to keep to their resolutions, with 80% of people failing by February. Chances are, you've probably already broken some of yours. Why is that? Why do we all make them just to give them up so soon?
I think it's because we set unrealistic goals. One of the most common new year's resolutions is to lose weight, often with a specific number goal attached. On the first few weeks of January, the gyms are flocking with newbies eager to sign up and suddenly everyone is interested in all the weight loss program commercials on TV.
While having this goal is obviously not a bad thing, many people simply burn themselves out too quickly by over dieting and overexercising. We see all the advertising for low-calorie this and low-sugar that. "Lose 50 pounds in 3 weeks!" "Get rid of those love handles for good in 3 easy steps!" And we believe it. But the truth is, maintainable weight loss takes time.
There is no quick easy fix. Starving yourself at the beginning of January to drop those 5 pounds you gained during the holidays isn't worth it. So, how can you achieve these goals and stick to that new year's resolution? Here are my top 5 do's and dont's for how you can keep that resolution going the whole year and lose the weight in a healthy, realistic way.
1. Don’t workout every single day.
At the beginning of my fitness journey, I made this mistake. I was super motivated and wanted to go to the gym every day. First of all, this is obviously not sustainable, because, over time, I lost this beginner's high. After a few weeks, my motivation had gone downhill, I was exhausted, and it was also very hard to work out every single day with such a busy schedule.
More importantly, your body needs a break! When you are working out, especially if you are lifting weights, you are actually creating microscopic tears in the muscles. Your rest days are essential because those are the days your muscles are actually building and repairing.
2. Eat intuitively and in moderation.
While counting calories and tracking macros is good for a little while to learn the quantities your body needs, it is also important to learn how to eat intuitively. Eating intuitively is about listening to your body and its needs. You eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full. It sounds simple, but it's actually a hard process because we often think we are hungry when we are not and eat past when we are full. It is also important to eat enough.
Many people cut down to the bare minimum of 1200 calories and believe that it's the key to losing weight. The truth is, every individual has a unique body structure and metabolism, so consulting a professional or doing some calculations to figure out what your own body needs is crucial. If you lose the weight too fast, it's not healthy or maintainable.
You are depriving your body of vital nutrients and as a result you will probably binge on those chips you have been craving for weeks, instead of having a normal portion size and eating in moderation.
3. Drink more water.
Ok, so this is probably something you see on every weight loss column. We all know we need to drink more water. But you need to actually do it! I carry around my 24oz water bottle with me everywhere! I highly recommend getting any large size bottle to encourage you to drink more. Add a little lemon or fruit if you want to!
4. Don’t weigh yourself every day.
Many people are slaves to the scale. While weighing yourself sometimes is perfectly fine, doing it every day can really affect your mental health. Weight can fluctuate all the time for many reasons. For example, if you ate a lot of salt the day before, your body could be holding onto more water than usual.
Another factor is fluctuating hormone levels, which can spike your weight by several pounds during certain times of the month (for females). Furthermore, sleep and stress levels can influence what the scale says. And also don't forget that just because you gained numbers on the scale, doesn't mean you gained fat.
It could be muscle! For more accurate ways to track your progress, use measuring tapes and take progress photos.
5. Stay body positive!
This is a hard one. With social media and the current obsessions with "fit girls," it can be taxing on self-esteem. Young women are expected to be skinny, but have huge boobs and butts. We are expected to be fit, but not too muscular. Working the glutes is great, but having big biceps isn't cute.
While some people naturally have this "ideal" shape, most of us don't. In reality, a lot of images we see online are altered and/or the person has had plastic surgery done. During your weight loss journey, it is so important to love yourself from start to finish.
Not everyone is physically capable of looking a certain way, so having confidence in yourself will make your journey so much better. Embrace the body that you have, because it is the only one you will be given.