Every year I take time to reflect on the year that has passed and set goals for the one to come. You may be thinking “no one ever reaches their New Year’s resolutions” but I set them at this time as research suggests people are ten times more likely to reach their goals if they set them at the start of the year*.
Not surprisingly, weight loss is the number 1 goal people set** so I wanted to give you some ideas that can help if you would like to lose weight this year…
Seeing so many face-to-face clients*** keeps my finger on the pulse of how real people experience eating, exercise, weight and body image struggles, and I want to understand my online clients the same way, so I recently set up a welcome email when people join my newsletter asking new members 3 key questions about their experiences. Let me share some of their responses and my insights on them as I think they can really help you start the year off on the right foot.
Question 1: What is your main struggle?
(The one would you most like to be free from.)
Responses:
- “To stop eating what I know is wrong even as I eat it.” If this sounds like you, here’s a video on bridging the gap between what you know and what you do.
- “Focusing too much my weight.” Here’s a video to help you take the focus off the scales if you feel it would help!
- “My ongoing issue with binging. Anxiety and boredom are my triggers.” Here are some videos to help with emotional eating and bored eating.
- “Comparing myself to others on the same journey and find myself lacking.” Here’s a blog where I help you be patient and focus on your own journey.
- “Exercise!!! And motivation in getting going with it.” Here’s a blog to help you enjoy exercise more and a video to help you get out the door!
- “I’m terrified of losing control and putting a huge amount of weight back on.” I’m going to give my thoughts on this one in a second because all of these problems relate to the second question…
Question 2: What are your goals?
(This time next year, what would you want to be different?)
Responses:
- “Lose approximately 15-18kg. Over the past 5 years I have put on this weight and can’t seem to get rid of it.”
- “To have been able to continually losing weight (without the usual self-destruction) & to be able to look at myself in the mirror without flinching!”
- “Next year I want to be a bit lighter.”
- “This time next year I want to be thinner, in less pain, eating to live instead of living to eat. Be able to get in and do more gardening.”
- “I would like to be able to convince myself that I am able to lose weight and to keep it off.”
Do we notice a theme here?
Every one of them is weight focused. And, as weight focused diet and exercise plans have a 97% failure rate in the long-term, this is a big problem.
Einstein said:
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
And we don’t want you to do the same thing over and over again…
Compare these to the responses I got last year when I asked our Psychology of Eating, Movement, Weight, and Body-Image Support Group about their goals:
- “Success – health, home and of course budget!”
- “Treating my body with respect and love.”
- “I’m going to reclaim my physical and mental health.”
- “Fitness.”
- “Trying some inner peace!”
- “Continuing my health & fitness adventure. Loving & respecting myself more.”
- “Being open to life … Let’s see where the fair winds take me this year – (letting go of my inner control freak).”
- “I really want/need to improve my health, therefore I want to commit to improving my nutrition, movement and time management.”
- “Happiness.”
Notice a difference?
If so, it’s because you are hearing from people who are letting go of diets and playing a new game of holistic success! Taking the focus off weight loss and focusing on your overall health, happiness and success works so much better in the long-term, and is actually is a lot easier too (if you can wrap your head around it). If you want to start shifting your focus, see this video.
Question 3: What is your biggest question?
(Something you can’t quite figure out.)
Responses:
- “How do I stay on track when my life is full of never ending stresses?”
- “Why do I not have enough belief in myself to attain my weight loss?”
- “How can I trust myself intuitively when I have never learnt this?”
- “How the hell do I change my way of thinking?
These questions are complex to answer. And to be honest – when you consider the time, effort, and cost involved – not everyone really wants to do what it takes to answer them. The best answer I have is to identify the reasons why you struggle and start to work through them. And if you do really want to change, the best way to answer all of your questions, let go of your struggles for good, and reach your goals for the year is to join me for the upcoming Twelve Month Transformation where I support you to create lasting changes in a structured and tailored way throughout the whole year. I spent over ten years and put my mind, heart and soul into making a program that actually works for people just like you and I want to help you actually achieve your goals and dreams in 2018. Let’s make 2018 the year you try something different and get different results.
I created this blog for people just like you.
If you found it valuable, please help me share it with them!
Find out about the Twelve Month Transformation!
*Researchers think the changing year is naturally a time of reflection and that the tradition of setting intentions at this time may help with motivation, self-belief, and social support.
**Followed by doing more exercise, quitting smoking and saving money.
***Against the advice of my business mentors who want me to focus on my online programs and public work – but hey, I started off seeing people and I still love it!
