Have you ever resolved at the beginning of the year to lose weight? Have you ever said, “By this time next year, I will have lost weight?” If so, you aren’t alone.
Every year, scores of Americans make resolutions to lose weight. I know I always did. While weight loss resolutions are common, excellent results are not. Fortunately, a broken weight loss resolution can be reset in a short time.
Step 1: Acknowledge Your Misstep
The first step in any type of reset is to acknowledge your lack of progress toward meeting your resolution. Okay, let’s be real–that’s a nice way of saying it. The hard truth is you’ve got to face up to the fact that you didn’t follow through. And that’s okay.
Step 2: Determine What Went Wrong
You may have never started. You may have half-heartedly tried, or perhaps there was a problem with the diet you picked. No matter what happened, figure out what went wrong so you don’t repeat the problem when you reset your diet.
Step 3: Figure Out if You Are Ready
Timing is everything. If this isn’t the right time for you, then reset another time. Although I think any time is great to start losing weight, there could be very real factors working against your weight loss success. Only you know what they might be, but some examples are fighting an illness or depression, having to care for a sick family member, or even a lack of finances.
Step 4: Don’t Listen to Popular Opinion
It’s easy to jump on the latest diet bandwagon. I tried all kinds of crazy diets before finally landing on one that worked for me.
Turn a deaf ear toward popular opinion and pick a diet plan that works for your lifestyle, your preferences, and your needs.
Step 5: Test Your Diet Plan Against Real Life
Once you’ve settled on a diet plan you think you like, test it by mentally walking through what a day on that diet will be like. For example, if you want to try a diet based on intermittent fasting but you wake up every morning feeling starved, that diet is not for you. Conversely, if you never really liked bread or dairy products, a low-carbohydrate diet might be a good fit.
Step 6: Begin Anew
Now that you’ve ironed out all the wrinkles and figured out what to do to avoid a repeat of a failed diet from your earlier resolution, begin anew.
I know it sounds like old fashioned language, but beginning anew has a good ring to it. Start fresh, reach for your goals, and look at your weight loss journey in a new light.
Step 7: Start Each Day With an “I Can Do It” Spirit
Each day when you get up, tell yourself that you can:
– Stick to your diet
– Not give up
– Not give in to temptation
– Correct yesterday’s errors
Step 8: Stay Focused on the End Goal
If you’ve ever played sports, your coaches probably told you to keep the basket, the goal line, or the finish line in your mind’s eye. Do the same thing when resetting your weight loss. Keep your end goal in mind and ask yourself if actions you are taking move you closer to that goal.