Awesome, this New Year is going to be the year that you achieve your weight loss goals. Wait that is resolution you said last year. Every new year plenty of people make New Year’s Resolutions with great intentions only to fall short in the end. This year lets follow these simple though effective steps and make it happen.
7 Ideas for New Year’s Weight Loss Success
Idea 1. Make New Kind of Weight Loss Goal
This year achieve weight loss success
Most people have heard that setting goals is important, so we are not going to focus on that. What we are going to focus on is what type of goal you are setting. This new year instead of setting a weight loss goal that is associated with either total pounds to lose or total weight on the scale set one around achieving a certain dress size. You can use waist size in pants for men. Now, it is something other than the scale that will determine our success. Let’s make sure to set up our goal in a positive manner like I will achieve a dress size of an 8 instead of I will lose 4 dress sizes.
Have you ever heard that muscle weights more than fat? The reason we want to lose weight is to look and feel better which people incorrectly correlate to weight. If you dropped 4 dress sizes would it really matter to you how much you weight? Most fad diet use water for their instant weight loss which is not fat. This is one of the reasons that pounds can drop from the scale and yet clothes are not fitting better or smaller. When weight loss comes from fat loss pant sizes will get smaller.
Idea 2. Chose an Event
How long did last year’s New Year’s resolution last? Overcoming the honeymoon period is the key to making this year different. At the beginning of the year people are excited and motivated and working on their goals is easy. Once we are into month three it isn’t so easy anymore. This is typically when most people quit.
This year lets pick an event that is 6 months out that aligns with your goal. This allows for motivation and something to continue to look forward to when it starts to become hard. For example you could set a goal to run a race like a 5k or half marathon or set up a shopping day at your favorite store as you are going to need smaller clothes. Another good event is a trip to the beach as plenty of people have used getting into a swimsuit as motivation to achieve weight loss goals.
It takes the body 3 months to make a physiological change to show results. It is important to set goals that allow the body time to adapt and then achieve what you are working so on hard for.
Idea 3. Build Intensity Cardio
Have you ever seen people spending hours after hours and days after days walking on a treadmill at the same speed? Do their bodies ever seem to change? The reality is most people who have good intentions often do the same workout every day. If the body doesn’t have anything new to adapt to there is no reason to change.
The biggest mistake people make is intensity. It is greater intensity that supports the body in creating a faster metabolism that burns more energy 24 hours a day. Most people chose to go longer during cardio workouts without ever increasing the intensity. Increasing intensity means you need to go faster and harder. It is ok you don’t last as long.
There are three types of cardio workouts a person should do to optimize results per week. They are interval training, threshold training, and endurance training. Most people only do endurance training. Internal training is hard intensity for short bursts followed by short burst of rest and then repeat. How many intervals and the speed you go at is all relative to your fitness level.
Threshold training is cardio at the fastest pace you can sustain for 20-30 min. Endurance training is the slow intensity cardio with goals of lasting 60-90 min continuously. Most people only do endurance training. Interval training is hard intensity for short bursts followed by short burst of rest and then repeat. How many intervals and the speed you go at is all relative to your fitness level. Threshold training is cardio at the fastest pace you can sustain for 20-30 min. Endurance training is the slow intensity cardio with goals of lasting 60-90 min continuously. (1)
Idea 4. Personalized Strength and Flexibility Plan
Get a new strength and flexibility program to workout with. Most people like cardio do the same workout over and over. The importance isn’t as much what it is as much as it is different to keep you motivated. Personal trainers at your gym often have free workout plans that are basic though basic works if we do it. Books and websites can be great resources for finding new workouts.
The key to any workout to make it success is to build intensity. Every person no matter who they are have to challenge their muscle tissue greater if they want to build more lean muscle tissue that raises the metabolism to burn more calories 24 hours a day.
Idea 5. Get a Good Nutrition Program
Diet is often considered to be 70% of a person’s weight loss success. This makes getting a good diet essential for any hope in achieving weight loss goals. If a diet seems to go to be true it probably is. Every success diet follows the same sound principles.
The #1 thing in finding a good diet is can you do this for your entire life. If it is a 3-month diet and then go to something else it is using smoke and mirrors to achieve weight loss. The #1 thing in finding a good diet is can you do this for your entire life. Often these diets use water to lose quick pounds. Every success diet revolves around eating small meals frequently throughout the day or what I like to call 5 small meals. (2)
Idea 6. Give Yourself a Break
If you want to be success it won’t be perfect. The idea that you have to be perfect kills most people from ever achieving their goals. One bad day eating or drinking doesn’t sink weight loss goals though giving up does.
For successful weight loss it is about a lifestyle. Throughout the year it is impossible to eat perfect and exercise perfect every day. These unrealistic expectations cause feelings of guilt than eventually lead to quitting. Every week and month when you look back can you say that 90% of your days you did the diet and workout you wanted you will be ahead of the game.
Idea 7. Take Action Now
I know it may not be New Years yet or long after though take action today. The hardest obstacle is starting to move. I know that tomorrow sounds great though how many times have you said that? Taking action right away will be the first step in creating positive energy and make this new year different and successful.
New Year’s Resolution Goal Setting
Everyone who sets out to create a New Year’s resolution wants to achieve success. As stated before this doesn’t always happen. One of the keys to success is preparation. By planning ahead anybody can create the right solutions to overcome any obstacle and makes this the best new year in achieving goals.
Top 10 New Year Resolution Tips
Be Specific: The more specific the goal the easier it is to achieve. Vague goals like want to lose weight or get toned up don’t allow for concrete knowledge if they are achieved or not. A specific goal is one that has a measurable outcome and has a date of by when it will be completed.
Weight Loss New Year’s Resolution
Write Down: Most people think they know their goals and don’t write them down. Research has shown that the simple act of writing down your goals increases chances of success. By writing down your goal you add greater commitment and doesn’t allow you to change what it is in your head.
Pick Something to Buy: You can be surprised how buying something keeps people motivated. People often follow their money so paying for a race to train for, clothing to fit into, or a trip that supports their goals increases chances of success.
Reward Yourself: Pick a reward before you start that is worth it for you. It is important to pick the reward before you start as it adds motivation on the days that get tough.
Set up Support: It is important to set up a support system before you start. Most people fail in their resolution goals from a lack of support. There will be tough days and the people you trust that can support you and remind you why you are doing it in the first place is huge.
Have Fun: Achieving weight loss goals doesn’t have to be a chore. The more fun you make it the greater your chance of success. If going to the gym isn’t your thing than incorporating hiking or biking outside could be an added boost.
Be Realistic: Making goals that are out of reach only leads to discouragement and quitting. That doesn’t mean don’t challenge yourself though setting goals that are worthwhile and attainable increases chances of success.
Be Accountable: Beyond writing your goal done also tell someone your goal. Having to tell another person out load your current progress is a key motivator.
Positive Statement: Everything you write down about your goal and your goal itself should be written in a positive statement in what you are going to achieve. I will weight 130 pounds over I will lose 25 pounds. Remember though goals without weight and using the scale support greater success.
Take a Picture: It is hard to see the changes daily. The subtle changes add up over months and you will be amazed at your progress when you look back at where you started.
Your Inner Athlete
Do you remember what it was like the last time you ran across a field or played on a playground? Have you ever climbed a tree or did a cartwheel?
When we were kids these things were common place though as adults we tend to move significantly less. Our exercise and in some cases lack of exercise becomes static and boring. The whole goal of getting in shape and losing weight is to now use that new body to have more fun.
The more you use your new and better body to have fun the greater chance of continuing to keep it which is the whole goal to begin with.
Why Become Fit for Life
So we set a goal to get into our skinny clothes. There is nothing wrong with that goal though there is a beginning and an end. As stated, before it is important to set dates for goals by when they will be achieved. What is important for long term success is that though goals match being fit for life.
Have you ever heard someone say I am going to lose weight then start getting into shape? It doesn’t work that way. Everything in fitness and nutrition that achieves real results works towards a lifestyle of healthy living. The more your goals support being fit for life the greater chance you won’t be setting the same goal next year.
- So why should you become fit for life?
- Because you won’t have to go on a low calorie or starvation diet again.
- Being fit means you can still eat food you enjoy
- You can throw away those fat clothes and enjoy your fitness
- Change the feelings of failure and self-loathing associated with fitness and dieting to a never-ending lifestyle of success
- Having your joints not ache from a lack of weight just feels better
Because you deserve go get working
