Most of us know that feeling the day after New Year’s Eve when you pop your eye open in the morning and realize it is all over. The worst hangover of the holiday season is the weight that hangs around. The problem is that most of the resolution made on New Year’s Eve to lose those unwanted pounds is gone come february. Studies show that by mid-January 80% of us have given up on our vows to change.
The average person gains anywhere from 5 to 10 pounds during the holiday season. Those last five pounds are usually the hardest to lose, which is why holiday weight loss is so frustrating. If you have vowed this year to lose those additional pounds, the good news is that not only is it possible, if you set your mind to it, make realistic goals and are patient, you will see those pounds melt away. Most people either fail or give up with their weight loss goals for one of five reasons. Avoiding these five biggest weight loss saboteurs can have you achieving your goals this year.
Don’t set unrealistic expectations
The problem we all have when we want to lose weight is that we want to lose it immediately. Starving ourselves, or trying fad diets to take weight off, are likely to end in failure. When setting your weight loss goals the most important first step is to set realistic expectations. It may take a little more time to lose weight the healthy way, with cutting calories soundly and exercising, but you are more likely to stay on course and to keep the weight off too. The average person is able to lose 2 to 3 pounds a week. If you stick to that lofty goal, you are likely not to get discouraged and ditch your resolution.
Don’t just add in cardio
Most people who want to lose weight decide to strap those gym shoes on and go for a walk, or jog. The problem with only doing cardio exercise is that you don’t do much to grow lean muscle. Muscle is the cornerstone of your metabolic system. Your metabolism is the rate at which you burn calories. That is why it is so important to build muscle to speed up your metabolism. Incorporate weight training into your weight loss goals to expedite weight loss.
Don’t overdo it
Exercise is an important tool for not only taking weight off, but to keep it off as well. If you are someone who hasn’t worked up a sweat in a while, take it slow. When people jump right in and overdo it, they usually end up injuring themselves. That can sidetrack even the best of weight loss intentions. You don’t have to run a marathon, start by walking around the block first.
Don’t drastically cut calories
If you cut calories too drastically to speed up weight loss you are going to be working against yourself. When you cut calories too much, your body reads the deprivation as starvation. In response, it will slow down your metabolism to conserve energy. That means you will have to eat less to lose more. Like a never ending battle a plateau is likely, which is a huge contribution to why weight loss enthusiasts ditch the whole idea.
If you approach weight loss with a good plan, some determination and a lot of patience, you will achieve your New Years weight loss goals without frustration, a lot of sacrifices and the potential to ditch the whole idea.
