Delaying New Year’s Resolutions

Most years I have the same New Year’s Resolution: to eat better and lose weight.  Before New Year’s this year, I had decided to try a very restrictive diet of just veggies for the first week.  Then I would add in fruit during the second week.  Then I would add meat the third week, and so on until I was just eating healthy foods.  I thought that doing so would be a good way to start the weight loss process.

But I have tried such extreme strategies in the past and found them difficult to maintain, mostly because there is so much leftover holiday food that tempts me.  So I decided to try something different this year: delaying the process until all the tempting food was gone and just not replacing it with unhealthy choices.  In the meantime, I would just buy healthy foods and try to eat in moderation.

I’m not sure how successful this has been so far, but I feel a lot better about myself.  Before, when I didn’t stick with a resolution, I felt like a failure, and once I was off the diet, I had a hard time going back.  I also remember that every successful positive change I have made related to diet and exercise has come at a time in the year other than January.

I think extreme changes are harder for me to maintain whereas subtle, small changes are easier for me.  For example, it’s much easier for me to say to myself, “just for today, I’m not going to have any sugar.”  That gives me an obtainable goal that doesn’t feel like I will never again be able to enjoy a piece of cake or pie.  I’m just not going to have something like that today.

At the beginning of last year, I started 2 different weight loss programs and was able to stick with them for a few months, but then I hit a plateau and got frustrated.  They had me weighing every day, and whether I had a good or bad day often depended on what number I saw on the scale first thing in the morning.  Ultimately, I ended the year heavier than when I started it.

My husband at some point reminded that I am more than just a number on the scale.  I’m trying to remember that I have many great qualities and characteristics.  Also, the goal should be health.  Many people who look great aren’t necessarily healthy, so that’s helpful for me to remember.

Just yesterday I loaded my fridge with lots of healthy vegetables, and I’m excited to make some healthy recipes with them.  Hopefully, taking these small steps will help me feel better about myself and maybe next year I won’t weigh as much (even if it’s one pound less) than I do today.

Joke:  I'm a substitute dieter.  I substitute things on my diet for things I really like.

Quote:  “It’s not about perfect.  It’s about effort.  And when you bring that effort every single day, that’s where transformation happens.” – Jillian Michaels

Advice:  Life is too short to eat food you don’t like.  Find healthy foods you enjoy, and for a treat, occasionally eat a very small portion (even just a bite) of something that’s not good for you but that you really love.