Welcome to 2024. Time to refocus on what you want for your life.
Is your health or weight on the list of things you want to change this year? You are not alone; 45% of us set losing weight as a New Year’s resolution. But, setting the goal and making it happen are two very different things. Only a quarter of people who make resolutions keep them for the full year. But don’t be discouraged. WEIGHT LOSS IS ACHIEVABLE and with some planning, discipline and the right tools, you can turn your resolution into a reality.
Here are some tips on making 2024 the year you reach your weight loss goal! Come with us on the journey…
THE DESTINATION – your weight loss goal
Write down your weight loss goal (goals written down are more likely to be kept). For example “Lose 20 kgs”. Write it in big letters; make it real. Fantastic – this is where you’re heading, your kilo DESTINATION. By the end of 2024 this is the weight you want to have reached.
- Make it realistic
- Make it specific
- Write it down
But this kilo goal is not actually your resolution.
Your resolution is what you are going to do to help you reach that goal.
THE VEHICLE – the steps to achieving your goal
Now that you know where you want to head, you need a way to get there.
So, next write down 3 small steps you resolve to do to help you achieve your goal. Eg “I will walk 3x a week in January” “I will replace 2 meals a day with FastFx for 2 weeks”, “I will weigh myself every day for 4 weeks”.
- Make them specific and clear
- Make them quantifiable
- Make them time specific
It’s good to make your steps small and time specific because smaller steps are more achievable. At the end of each goal reached; reevaluate. You achieved your steps in January, could you extend those into February? Setting small steps makes them manageable and achieving them will empower you to keep going.
ROAD BLOCKS – what gets in your way
Now, next to each step, write down the things that get in your way. The things that cause you to slow down, detour, or even crash. For example, you might find it difficult to control your calories at work drinks, or you stop exercising when the weather gets cold. Identifying and addressing your road blocks will help you stay the course. To help with this step check out our article.
FUEL UP – your motivation to keep going forward
Your motivation for losing weight is the fuel to help keep you moving forward. Understanding WHY you want to lose weight is what will keep you progressing. Just deciding to lose 20 kg isn’t enough – you need to dig deeper into WHY you want to lose the weight. It might be so you can play with your kids, or to lower your blood pressure or to feel great in your wedding dress. If you haven’t discovered your WHY check out our article.
TRACK YOUR PROGRESS – weigh yourself regularly
Weighing yourself regularly is essential to keeping your resolutions. When you weigh yourself daily you see, early on, if you’re getting off track and you can make changes accordingly. Seeing the scales going down will encourage you and make it easier to keep at it. Research has shown that people who weigh themselves daily lose more weight than those who don’t.
DON’T LET BUMPS STOP YOUR JOURNEY – keep going
All journeys have stops and starts. Sometimes we take the wrong path and have to U-turn. Sometimes we slow down, sometimes we stall and sometimes we crash. But, no matter what happens, if you continue to make some progress, no matter how small, then you will eventually get to your destination. The same is true for weight loss. Don’t let set backs and slip ups totally derail you. So you had a pie for lunch? It’s OK – don’t give up! Don’t criticise yourself. Just start again with the next right bite.
Pull yourself out of the ditch and get back on the road. Self-correct at slips before they turn into landslides.
NOW START MOVING FORWARD – to do list
Now take a seperate piece of paper and write a specific to-do list. Write all the things you need to do in order to start making your resolutions happen. For example, call the friend who you want to keep you accountable, or order the FastFx, or join the gym, or buy a new pair of trainers. Write down each specific thing you need to do to start achieving your resolution.
Now you should have a map to help you complete your New Year’s resolution. You’ll have your end goal, your short term goals, the things that might stop you from achieving them and specific steps to get you started.
Now get going, start ticking things off your list.
2024 is going to be different! This is the year everything changes!!!
