Raise your hand if you already broke into the holiday sweet stash?!  Many of us see the holidays as an excuse to eat the things we usually deprive ourselves of during the year. Let’s face it: 2020 has been a rollercoaster ride, and we’ve probably all indulged in a little extra comfort food. With January 1st comes intentions of new diets, workouts, and rebuilding a healthy lifestyle that sheds those extra pounds.  Inevitably, your efforts are short-lived, and by March, they’re completely forgotten. I’m here to tell you that it’s time to stop falling off the diet wagon and how to develop healthy habits that you love to stick to!

 

It’s time to stop falling off the diet wagon

I’m sure many of you are familiar with the hamster wheel effect of annual dieting and subsequently falling off the diet wagon.  January 1st has gained a reputation as the magical day that diets should start. Unfortunately, it repeatedly fails to deliver the results you hoped for.

You may have given yourself a hard time over this in the past. Thankfully, your failings have nothing to do with willpower and everything to do with the system.  That is to say, mainstream weight-loss diets are designed as a quick fix. Consequently, they do not help you build lasting healthy habits.

This means you will lose the initial weight the plan promised rather quickly. Then the results start to slow down, and you lose enthusiasm, become discouraged, and eventually give up altogether. As a result, you return to those trusty but unhealthy old habits. So what is the solution to this cycle of unhealthy habits and feelings of failure?

It’s no secret that I am not a fan of weight-loss diet plans. I recently wrote a blog post where I dissected some of the main diets and broke down exactly what’s wrong with them and how they are set up for you to fail.

3 Reasons Why Diets Fail

Instant gratification

• Making a habit stick takes months, if not years, but diet gurus promise that their program has the quickest weight loss results.  It’s true if you stop eating, you’ll lose weight, but how long can you maintain that? Changing unhealthy eating habits into a new and healthy routine takes time and practice. The instant gratification offered by quick-fix diets is a false idea that causes you to fail before you’ve even begun.

Starting something new is exciting.

• The new year seems to be the perfect time to start over. Start a new exercise program, cook new meals, and change our lives with the change of time. You probably know how being determined and committed to a goal is exciting. However, that excitement dwindles quickly, and after a few weeks, the commitment fades away. Breaking old habits is uncomfortable; you will give up on that newfound drive unless you lean into that and challenge yourself.

Unrealistic expectations

• Your diet program may promise specific weight loss or body composition changes, but your results look very different. If it were easy to lose lots of weight quickly and keep it off, we wouldn’t be in this hamster wheel of dieting. Creating sustainable, consistent, and healthy habits that we stick to is critical. Most feel that it takes too long to see quick results and inevitably end up falling off the diet wagon.

Stop Falling Off The Diet Wagon

If you want to stop falling off the diet wagon once and for all, then you’re gonna need to make some changes in how you approach your health and fitness goals. Let go of that search for a quick fix and start developing healthy habits that will bring a real long term effect that you love to have earned.

• Your health is a marathon, not a sprint

  Doing well with some changes doesn’t mean you need to change everything at once.  Take your time, and gradually build on the new healthy habits that you have a grasp of.

• Find activities that fit your lifestyle

  This way, you will enjoy them for years to come. If you don’t find time to work out, getting up just 10 minutes earlier will give you a little extra time to do a quick exercise video before your day starts. You can check out my 3-minute workouts on YouTube.

• Make health a lifelong goal

  Changing something for only a few weeks and then going back to what you did before is not creating sustainable habits. You’ll achieve lasting results by taking action to live healthier and taking small doable steps. If you keep repeating those healthy habits over and over, you’ll discover more about yourself. You’ll find out the things you like and how they make you feel. That includes sleep, exercise, being outdoors, reducing stress, and eating healthy and balanced meals.

• Create a supportive community Surround yourself with people who have similar health values and goals. This way, you’ll get emotional support when the ride gets bumpy. Tell your trusted friends and family or co-workers about your plans, join a Facebook group, and hire a personal trainer who holds you accountable. Ensure the chosen people genuinely support you and do not sabotage your efforts.

Did this all sound familiar to you? If it does, I’d love to hear how you’ve stopped spinning and started moving forward with your health goals. Let me know in the comments, and I’ll be sure to reply!

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