5 things you should know before you give up on your New Year Weight Loss Resolution!

1. You don’t have to be perfect. Don’t give up because you cannot maintain perfect adherence.

So what, you ate too much over the weekend? You drank a couple of beers and ate a whole pizza. You’re realizing that losing weight is just an impossible dream and it’s a waste of time to keep chasing the dream, right? Wrong! Very few people who successfully lose weight and even fewer people who keep off the weight did so by being perfect. Every time you eat too much or eat something you shouldn’t have eaten is an opportunity to learn a new weight management skill.  This missteps are telling you that your plan needs adjusting because it’s too rigid. You need to learn how to indulge and move on. It’s called flexible restraint.

2. Physical activity is your friend. Don’t give up because you hate the gym.

The word “exercise” used to make me hungry and tired. I never saw myself as an athlete and therefore exercise stirred up images of pain and uncoordination. I don’t like to feel pain and I especially am uncomfortable about appearing clumsy. Losing weight was entirely a “food thing” for me. I would remain sedentary and eat a lot less food. it worked when I was younger but it never worked for very long. Eventually I would remain sedentary and my food consumption went back to my former caloric intake.

Forget about “exercise” and just seek ways to move more. Yes, stairs instead of the elevator, parking at the opposite end of the mall as far away from the stores in which you plan to shop.

If you've gotten into the habit of getting your husband or older kids to carry the laundry for you, take back that chore! Don't overload the basket so that you only need to make one trip. Smaller loads and multiple trips is more activity for you!

If you’ve gotten into the habit of getting your husband or older kids to carry the laundry for you, take back that chore! Don’t overload the basket so that you only need to make one trip. Smaller loads and multiple trips is more activity for you!

Lug the laundry basket up and down the stairs instead of forcing your husband or a kid to do it for you. Walk while you talk on the phone. Put on some good dance music and have a private dance party. Take lessons to learn an active pursuit that interests you and allow yourself to become passionate about it. Simply put, don’t exercise, just keep moving!

3. Don’t worry about how long it takes. Don’t give up because it’s slow, even if some weeks when you stand on the scale the number has gone up slightly.

Some of us lose weight a lot slower than others. That’s okay. We tell ourselves silly lies about our bodies and our metabolisms and hormone imbalances. We figure that our unacceptable rate of weight loss is because something is messed up. Whatever it is that we tell ourselves is messed up is the reason why weight loss is impossible, so if it’s impossible, what’s the use of trying?

Stop lying to yourself! Slow weight loss is just as good as losing weight more quickly. Losing weight slowly could mean that you’re learning how to integrate your weight management with your lifestyle. That just so happens to be necessary for lasting weight control. Slower weight loss could also mean you’re not actually practicing all of the weight loss behaviors you think you are. You may be eating more and moving less than you allow yourself to realize.

If it's slow, that doesn't mean you're unable to lose weight. Don't tell yourself a discouraging lie!

If it’s slow, that doesn’t mean you’re unable to lose weight. Don’t tell yourself a discouraging lie!

Whatever the reasons may be, you can accept them or make changes. Just don’t like to yourself by saying, “I can’t lose weight.”

5. Weight loss progress really is more efficient with some accountability, support, and fun. Find yourself some cheerleaders!

I get it. Attending a weekly group support meeting for the purpose of getting an official weigh-in and engaging in a group support meeting sounds inconvenient. More than a lot of trouble just to get there, it sounds like a waste of time to stay for a meeting. Even a half hour meeting sounds too long and boring.

Meetings are worth your effort to get there and your time to stay there. If you don’t believe me (and why would you since you don’t know me) go see for yourself. Go to one Weight Watchers meeting for free to see how being with people who are learning non ways to manage stress and emotions without food are doing it. Discover delicious ways to eat and stay feeling full and satisfied by listening to people who have some fresh, new ideas, cooking methods, recipes and foods to share.

If you are so inclined you can even speak up to ask for help with a specific challenge you can’t seem to overcome on your own. If you don’t want to speak up, you can sit back to just listen and learn. You won’t feel any pressure – not even a look – that says “you must share if you want to be part of this group.”????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

5. You can and will lose weight.

If you don’t give up and you pay attention to numbers 1, 2, and 3 in this blog you can keep your resolution alive, well and completely attainable!

Jackie Conn

About Jackie Conn

Jackie Conn is married and has four grown daughters and four grandchildren. She is a Weight Watchers success story. She's a weight loss expert with 25 years of experience guiding women and men to their weight-related goals. Her articles on weight management have been published in health, family and women's magazines. She has been a regular guest on Channel 5 WABI news, FOX network morning program Good Day Maine and 207 on WCSH.