Weight Loss Resolutions that Stick

“Every New Year's Day, I start a new diet. What suggestions do you have for helping me stick to the diet this year?”

Congratulations on your persistence to achieve a goal that is important to you. Resolutions are a noble effort to begin the New Year with your most important goals on the front burner.

However, as you have noticed in the past, the journey toward a healthier, more balanced lifestyle is not known for its easy terrain. Despite our best intentions, it is common to never make it past January with our declarations. With each challenge we get disappointed in ourselves, beat ourselves up for failing, and eventually quit our positive efforts. Our failure reinforces the belief that we can’t have what we most want.

This year, instead of a simple resolution, take some time to set yourself up for positive outcomes. Success doesn’t just happen; it requires forethought and planning. Here are five positive ways to set yourself up for weight loss success:

Make a Commitment
True change is never effortless! Before moving forward on your decision, make sure you really want to commit to your goal. This may seem basic but many people never decide and commit fully to their dream. Make a commitment to your goal and choose to honor and stand behind it 100 percent. No matter how challenging, how fearful, or overwhelming it may seem, decide you are going for it! Why? For no other reason than because you want it. Let go of any thoughts of you “should” be doing this, or you “have” to be doing this. Your choice to create a new weight is a choice that you can make, honor, and support.

Rely on Inner Wisdom
Eating and weight loss success depend on far more than calorie counting and the perfect diet. Long-term weight achievement involves developing an intimate relationship with food and your body. Move beyond your mind and touch base with your physical self. Before eating, ask yourself, “Is this really what I want?” Inhale the aroma of your food, see what you are about to put in your mouth, and taste the food as you chew. Are you enjoying the experience of this eating episode? Do you like this feeling? Change the process of losing weight from an intellectual pursuit of thinness, to an experience that builds self-respect and a joyful physical experience. Your feeling good – before, during, and after eating – is an important key to your overall success.

Give Up Guilt
Give up using guilt as a motivator. It just doesn’t work to achieve a positive outcome. Believing you cheated on your diet and completely ruined any chance of succeeding produces guilt and feelings of failure. What does work is your ability to acknowledge the action taken, accept the choice you made, and then recognize you are capable of making new choices right now. Don’t wait until Monday to begin again. Be assertive, immediately make a new choice that reinforces your overall direction, and take an action step right now.

Think “Management” Instead of “Control”
Control implies an adversarial relationship with food. It becomes a constant battle to control weight, eating, or your body. Management is more loving. When you manage something, you work with food or with your body to create a positive win-win situation. Unite with your desire and choose actions that create more of the feeling you want. Control often creates feelings of deprivation, however management creates feelings of success, accomplishment, empowerment, and self-worth.

Put Your Mind In Touch With Your Body
Regular physical movement - whether gardening, walking, lifting weights, or practicing playing ball - helps connect you with your body. Physical movement shouldn’t be punishment because you are overweight, but an opportunity to develop a new connection with your physical self. Movement provides new occasions to develop and deepen a sense of well-being, confidence and body awareness. Include regular movement in a way that feels positive and adds vitality.

If you have set weight loss as your goal once again, congratulate yourself for holding tight to your dream! Start fresh, focus on the positive aspects of your courage, and give yourself credit for your determination. In your journey of successful weight loss, consider utilizing the tips above to build enthusiasm, confidence, and steady momentum. Never give up on your dream!

Wishing you confidence, pleasure, success, and good health. Happy New Year!