Embarking on Another Weight Loss Journey
It’s hard to believe that we’re nearing the end of another year. It feels like just yesterday we were embarking on the exciting journey of 2023, filled with plans for our health and weight loss goals. Now, as we approach the dawn of a new year, one topic is on everyone’s lips (again), dominating conversations and search queries – weight loss!
Many of us are experiencing the accumulation of holiday indulgences in the form of sneaky, unwanted pounds. The scale reveals a number we’re not too fond of, or perhaps, we’d rather not face. Consequently, we tend to avoid stepping onto it.
We truly desire to avoid repeating the same mistakes as in previous years, where consistency and motivation waned too soon.
So why is it that 2024 may be the year when more of us achieve our weight loss goals? Incredibly exciting news was revealed in 2023! Medical professionals now have an expanded array of effective weight-loss medications at their disposal. This brings forth many reasons for optimism when shedding those extra pounds, boosting energy levels, and prioritizing our overall well-being. Read these posts to learn more:
What Didn’t Work (Most of the time) in 2023
Eating salads every day
Pledging to eat salad daily doesn’t work for many obvious reasons – monotony, lack of satiety, and increased snacking between meals are just some of the reasons. In addition, some salads are calorie bombs loaded with as many calories as a Big Mac!
Gym Membership
Signing up for a shiny new gym membership. I’m not suggesting don’t do it. However, here are some reasons the gyms empty out as February rolls around:
- Many people find the gym intimidating
- They are unsure how to use the equipment
- They feel self-conscious because of how they look.
- In addition, guilt and frustration set in if you do not use that membership.
This impacts the opportunity to improve your physical health and overall well-being and defeats the purpose of investing in such a membership.
The Scale
The dreaded scale and those numbers! I have had patients tell me they have nightmares about the scale. Some feel it’s just a number and may not accurately reflect your health. There is no doubt that the scale can be a source of anxiety and emotional distress. On the other hand, the scale can be a great motivator and a helpful friend to track your progress.
Underestimating calorie intake
It’s fairly common for us to underestimate how much we consume in 24 hours. We forget about the few bites and nibbles here and there as we navigate our busy lives. All of those add up. Some people find it helpful to track their food intake using a diary or an App. Others don’t like to track. While some form of tracking is important, we must find something that works for us.
Drinking your calories
This one drives quite a lot of frustration. High-calorie, low-nutrition beverages are everywhere. These include sodas, sports and energy drinks, fruit juices, fancy lattes, and coffee drinks. They are all packed with empty calories. One of the first steps in a weight loss journey is replacing these liquid calories with water. Unfortunately, the artificially sweetened beverages don’t help as much as it was thought, as the craving persists and may even lead to overindulging. Slowly but steadily cutting down on the liquid calories will help you start shedding the first few pounds.
Diets
Every day, a new diet promises more than it delivers. The thing to keep in mind is that diets require consistency. People fail at following diets because it gets tiresome and complex. It’s much easier instead to eat small portion sizes, a wide variety of colorful produce, and cut-down processed foods, aka those that come in boxes.
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Cheers to a Happy Healthy New Year!!!
