Make Your Weight Loss Resolutions Happen

A resolution is a commitment to one’s self to better something. A lot of people make New Year Resolutions to be fitter, healthier or to lose weight. In fact, more people make resolutions at New Year’s than any other time of the year. Unfortunately, statistics show that 97% of New Year resolutions are never materialized.

Mark Twain said,  “New Year’s is a harmless annual institution, of no particular use to anybody save as a scapegoat for promiscuous drunks, friendly calls and humbug resolutions.”

How can you make you make your weight loss resolutions successful. Here are 8 steps that may help.

1.  Educate Yourself About Weight Loss

What is it that you are after? Are you interested in just dropping digits on the weight scales? Or are you interested to achieve a sexier and better defined body. A well defined body can only be achieved by losing fat. As such, ensure that all of your weight loss comes from fat loss. Your resolution should be focused on weight loss that comes from losing fat.

2.  Do Not Make a Half Hearted Weight Loss Resolution

Make sure you really want it with all your heart. How much are you willing to sacrifice for it? You cannot gain something of value without sacrifice.

3.  Do Not Make a Resolution That is the Spur of the Moment

Just because everyone else is trying to lose weight or because its trendy during the New Year, does not mean that you should do the same. Following the crowd for the sake of it will not take you very far.

4.  Tell Others About Your Weight Loss Resolution and Become Accountable

Tell others what you want to achieve. This keeps you accountable. You will be more likely to be honest to your word  if you know others are watching. Tell others how much fat you want to lose.

5.  Have a Plan to Follow Through with Your Weight Loss Resolutions

Have a concrete plan to lose weight or get fit. For instance, how many days a week are you going to exercise. When are you going to exercise. Plan your meals. Without a plan, there is no possible way that you are going to be able to achieve anything.

6.  Make Sure That Your Weight Loss Resolutions are SMART

Your resolution must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time Based. This is the only way to make your goals work. For instance, your weight loss SMART resolution could go like this;

“I want to lose 20 pounds of fat within the next 6 months”.

Note that the goal is fat loss and not weight loss. Any weight loss that is attributed to fat loss is sustainable. The American College of Sports Medicine advocates fat loss of 1 to 2 pound per week. As such, losing 20 pounds of fat in 5 months is healthy, realistic and attainable.

7.  Write Your Weight Loss Resolutions Down

Writing your resolutions down is the single biggest step you could take to move you closer to success. Write down how much of fat you want to lose within a year.

8.  Break Down Your Weight Loss Efforts into Smaller Steps

Plan what you are going to do in the coming week. Plan your meals for tomorrow. Target to lose at least 1 pound of fat in a week. Break down the larger goals into smaller steps that you could bite into.

9.  Create a Support System

Get the support of the people closest to you. You will need the support of your spouse. Losing weight is going to be tough and you are going to need all the support you can get.

10.  Keep Track of Progress

Be diligent of recording your journey. This way, you can look back in retrospect and ascertain why your efforts are working or not working. Keep a diary as this is the best thing that you can do to move you closer to your weight loss goals.

Your New Year Weight Loss Resolutions are absolutely worthy goals. Do not corrupt the sanctity of these goals.  You destroy your credibility every year that you set such goals and fail to achieve them. Sooner than later, you will stop believing in yourself. If you are going to make a resolution, promise yourself that you will keep it. If you are not going to take your resolutions seriously, don’t make any resolutions. If you are going to set a New Year Resolution, go to the ends of the earth to achieve it. As always, if you are going to lose weight, lose it correctly. Once and for all, do it right.