5 Tips for Sticking to a New Year’s Weight Loss Resolution

While most New Year’s resolutions fail, there are some things you can do to set yourself up for success not only in January, but all year long.

There have been many studies completed regarding the failure of New Year’s resolutions. In fact, most report 80% failure by the beginning of Feburary.¹ Many can relate – perhaps you as well.

Failure can be very self-defeating. However, it doesn’t have to define you now – or in the future. It’s time to figure out what to do about it.

Here are 5 suggestions shown to turn such challenging defeat into success:

1. Draw a Line in the Sand. It is common when you are overweight or obese to have a defining moment that inspires you to make a decision with no looking back. At Long Island Laparoscopic Doctors, Dr. Hesham Atwa and his experienced team see this nearly every day. It’s a defining moment when our awesome patients, who may be a lot like you say – no more – I am going to make a change for me (most important), for my family, and/or for my future! No one can do it for you. It’s up to you to draw a line in the sand – and commit to change.
2. Make Yourself a Priority: Life is busy for sure! You are pulled in so many directions – family, friends, work and so much more. However, if you don’t take the time to make yourself a priority, no one else will do it for you. We don’t say this lightly. Again, we see this happen all the time. Yet, when you make yourself a priority, you tend to find even more time for everyone else – and with a much more positive outlook and new-found energy!
3. Determine What Will Work for You: Everyone is different. Intuitively, we all know that. However, you may find yourself constantly searching for the next greatest weight loss trick or gadget that worked for someone you may or may not know. Instead, we encourage you to finally get to the root of your specific barriers to success and determine what exactly will work for you and fits in with your lifestyle. This is one of the most exciting things we get to do with our medical and surgical weight loss patients.
4. Make it Happen: Long term weight loss success takes effort. In fact, specific efforts especially at the beginning until new habits you can live with for life are formed. It started with your decision, now it is a matter of mapping out your path to get to your destination while also enjoying the journey along the way. It takes more than putting a workout on your schedule, it involves figuring out what you will eat, when you will eat, what your activities will be and how you will fit it into your lifestyle. You can keep it simple with changing one behavior at a time with a habit chart and build from there. Bottom line, you need to want to make it happen for YOU and then make it a reality, one step at a time.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help and/or Support: The struggle is real. Enlist the support of someone who has already attained what you desire and/or the assistance of a professional to help you navigate the journey. Whether this is medical weight loss or weight loss surgery (depending upon your situation/preference), our team of experts are here to help. Support comes in many forms – friends, family, support group, formal program, comprehensive medical and surgical programs, medications when appropriate, one on one conversations specific to you and much more.

These five steps have been put to the test and do work when applied with determination. It’s your life, it’s your decision. If you desire help along the way or want to learn more about the medical and surgical weight loss options at Long Island Laparoscopic Doctors, please reach out to our caring team at https://journeytothenewyou.com/contact-us/

We look forward to answering any questions you may have and helping you find long-term weight loss success and better health.

¹ https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleystahl/2021/12/09/this-new-years-set-goals-not-resolutions/