New year, same resolution: lose weight! This is such a cliche, but I have to confess, it's been my resolution since I can't even remember. And every year I promise myself it's going to be different... well, I believe 2025 is the year! I've prepared a plan based on achievable goals and gathered some helpful tools to turn this resolution into a habit. Will you join me?
I know I'm not alone, most people don’t stick with their New Year’s resolutions. Actually, according to a survey data, nearly 80 percent of people who make these kinds of resolutions focusing on health, exercise, or diet, including goals to lose weight, fail them within the first two weeks.
Image found on Pinterest
Understanding why weight loss resolutions fail can help us break the cycle. The idea is to set more realistic, actionable goals, for example: rather than setting a goal like “lose 20 pounds,” focus on building healthier habits. The habit keeps you going, in other words, achieving your weight loss goal is much easier once healthy habits become so ingrained in your routine that you barely have to think about them anymore.
Diet, exercise, and lifestyle habits play important roles in weight management. And after researching the topic, I've came up with a special list. Check out my top 5 tips to turn that goal into a habit:
Daily Planning
To start, you need to set short-term, actionable goals. It's important to focus on what you can do today and this week, not what you want to do over the course of the year (even because, a lot can happen in your life and change your routine in one year).
The LIFE&Style Planner, for example, is your tool to manifest your goals and create your dream life – one page at a time. It combines smart planning, and mindful journaling, carefully curated to bring positive thinking, personal growth, everyday happiness and style inspiration to your life.
Keeping a journal or using an app to track your daily actions, like exercise, meals, and hydration. This not only helps you stay accountable but also allows you to see how far you’ve come. When you plan your day mindful, you begin and end each day with intentional reflection. Gratitude, detailed scheduling, and highlights become your daily pillars, setting the tone for a fulfilling day.
Weight Loss Calculator + Body Fat Calculator
How long it will take to reach your health goals? A calculator to estimate how much you will need to change your diet and exercise routine in order to reach your weight loss goals is key to be successful in your journey. It would be wonderful if we could predict this, right? Well, the good news is: we can do it!
See the Weight Loss Calculator, from Culinary Schools, for example: you can enter your height, weight, weight goal, age, activity level and gender and this calculator will estimate how long it will take to reach your health goals.
Image from https://www.culinaryschools.org/
While they are not required, if you know your current body fat percent and your waist measurement you can enter those to slightly improve the accuracy of your calculation. Entering macro nutrient information is also optional for those who are just beginning their journey to better health.
The Body Fat Calculator, as the name says, can be used to quickly estimate your body fat. You can get a basic estimate by entering height, weight, age and gender. For more detailed results you can use a tape measurer or a body fat caliper to measure your body.
Knowing your body fat percentage is important because it provides a more accurate picture of your overall health compared to just looking at your weight, as it reveals the proportion of fat mass versus muscle mass in your body, allowing you to better assess your risk for chronic diseases like heart disease, and diabetes, especially when considering that excess body fat, particularly visceral fat, can significantly increase these risks; furthermore, monitoring body fat helps you design targeted exercise and nutrition plans to manage your health effectively.
Exercise Routine
We all know regular exercise burns calories, helping you achieve a deficit for weight loss. But how can we build an exercise routine if we don't have the habit or in the worst case scenario: we hate to exercise?
The idea is to change your lifestyle, starting slowly and building up gradually (increasing duration and intensity over time). Choosing activities you love, such as dancing, swimming, hiking or even team sports, will increase your enjoyment and consistency.
If you are living a sedentary lifestyle you may be able to improve your mood and health while losing weight by picking up one of over 200 different exercises recommended in a workout calculator from Culinary Schools as well.
I've recently discovered Pilates and it changed my life completely!
Image found on Pinterest
Look Good While Doing it
You don't have to wait the scale pointer starts to go down to take care of your image. In fact, choosing a pretty workout outfit can be a great mood boost. I mean, wearing activewear that you like can improve your mood and boost your motivation to exercise, because it can help you feel more confident and self-assured, which can lead to a more positive outlook on exercise.
I've told you about BERLOOK here on the blog. It's where you'll find the softest and comfiest activewear. With a four-way stretch, the apparel is made to allow movements freely and gracefully in any active. Plus, they're highly breathable, ensuring that the body stays cool and dry throughout your workout.
Make Healthier Food Choices
Cooking dinner at home at least three nights per week is another great resolution that supports weight loss, says Hayley Nelson, PhD, a Philadelphia-based founder and CEO at Academy of Cognitive & Behavioral Neuroscience. “This allows you to control portions and ingredients, and the repetitive nature of cooking strengthens the neural circuits for self-discipline.”
Image from https://www.culinaryschools.org/
Don't forget to stay hydrated, get enough sleep and of course, celebrate the small wins. 2025 is looking healthier already!
Comments