If you’re like many other people whose New Year’s resolution is to lose weight, there are some things to keep in mind to help you avoid the all-too-common failure and disappointment that the vast majority of such resolutions end in.
To begin with, there’s really nothing special about the start of a New Year in terms of being able to set a weight loss goal and stick to it, other than perhaps most people are no longer eating the holiday foods that tend to pack on the pounds. So, a lot of people can lose at least part of the weight they gained during the holidays without too much difficulty, but going beyond that usually doesn’t work any better as a New Year’s resolution than it does at any other time of the year.
There are numerous diet and exercise programs out there, and they all work to some degree for at least some people. So, which program should you choose? Well, it probably doesn’t matter that much. Recent studies indicate that by far the biggest key to success with a weight loss program is sticking to it. That’s right, for all the debate over low carb, low fat, high protein, eating for your blood type, cardio vesus weight training, etc., etc., the number one key to whether or not a weight loss program is effective is whether or not the indvidual sticks to the program. If you need help with the sticking to the program part of weight loss, I suggest you check out my weight loss motivation website.
Granted, there are physiological reasons why a given diet and/or exercise program might work better or faster for a given individual, but almost any reasonable weight loss program (and even most unreasonable programs) will work well enough for you to reach your weight loss goals if you simply stick to it long enough. So, rather than looking at your weight loss goal as a one-time thing to achieve, you will do much better to choose a lifestyle to commit to long-term.
Choosing a new lifestyle is a much bigger goal than resolving to lose a certain number of pounds by a certain date, but it is really the most effective way to lose weight, get healthy, and stay that way. All too often, people force themselves through a grueling weight loss program and reach their goal weight, only to gain back all the weight and even more within a few months. To be successful long-term, there needs to be a fundamental change in how you live your life.
The next thing to realize is that lasting weight loss takes time. There are many diet programs and products out there that claim you can lose 20 or 30 pounds in a few weeks – and you can, but it is nearly all water weight. If you want to lose 20 or 30 pounds in a month and you don’t care that it’s just water weight, save yourself some money and effort and just get yourself a big bottle of Vitamin B6. B6 is a very good diuretic and it will pull the water out of you very effectively – just be prepared to spend a lot of time in the restroom and for your urine to be brightly colored.
Losing weight in the form of fat takes time. Generally speaking, most people will lose no more than 1 to 2 pounds of fat per week on a good weight loss program (one that includes diet and exercise). No product on the market substantially increases this rate of fat loss. There are a few things that do speed up fat burning slightly, but in my opinion, the minimal effects do not justify the cost of the products.
Finally, lasting weight loss usually requires both a change in eating habits and increased physical activity. Dieting without exercise typically slows the metabolism and eventually the diet stops working. Moderate exercise is needed to keep the metabolism up as you decrease your eating. Although most of the time intense exercise is most effective, there are situations in which too much or too intense exercise can actually prevent you from losing weight.
For more tips for successfully losing weight, check out some of my other posts on weight control.