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New Year’s Resolutions: Lose Weight and Shed some Baggage

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By AaronPotts  

As we come up on another New Year, millions of people are once again giving thought to losing weight as one of their New Year’s resolutions. If you or someone that you know are thinking about weight loss as a New Year’s resolution, I would ask you to first stop and ask yourself this:

What is going to be different this year than all of the other years?

New Year's Resolutions: Lose Weight and Shed some BaggageMost people who try to lose weight at the start of a new year have tried to do it many times in the past, and I submit to you that an effective weight loss program for the new year needs to start with losing the mental baggage first!

The specific details of how to lose weight have been known for decades, yet people still seem to think that the answer to long-term weight loss lies in a new diet, a special exercise program, or in some magical cream, pill, or quality time with a cosmetic surgeon.

The bottom line, however, is that excess bodyfat is not a condition in and of itself, but rather the result of faulty mental programming, and the faulty habits that come about as a result of that programming.

Yes, there are physical and genetic characteristics that affect someone’s physical appearance, but there are very few physical or genetic conditions that can actually keep someone from a high level of physical fitness if they truly want to be healthy.

The reason why most people can’t lose weight or keep the weight off over the long-term is because they either don’t truly believe that it is possible for them, they don’t truly believe that they are worthy of that level of physical grace, or, they are just plain too lazy to do what it takes.

Each of those circumstances can be rectified on the inside, however. The diet or exercise programs that assist with the actual weight loss will then just become conditions of that proper mental programming.

If you truly want to lose weight as part of your New Year’s resolutions this year, put down the diet books, don’t even buy the latest copy of your favorite fitness magazine, and certainly don’t go to your doctor asking for a prescription weight loss drug. Instead ask yourself these types of questions:

  • Do I truly believe that it is possible for ME to lose the weight? Don’t ask yourself if people in general can lose weight, ask yourself if you truly believe that YOU can lose the weight.
  • Do I truly believe that I can be as pretty/sexy/slim/hot/attractive as I want to be? Again, you need to be brutally honest with yourself. Lying to yourself about what you truly believe is possible will just set you up to be having this same conversation at this same time next year.
  • Do I truly believe that I am worthy of the type of attention or lifestyle that will come about as a result of me losing the weight? Think about the average celebrity. Yes, they have the looks, the fame, and the fortune, but they also can’t even walk into a 7-11 to buy a cup of coffee without it being a media frenzy. Are you prepared to live the actual lifestyle of someone who is healthy and in great shape?

These types of questions are just examples, and you have probably already begun to think of similar questions that apply to your own lifestyle. Don’t push those questions away as irrelevant while you instead go looking for the next “miracle weight loss cure”.

Your ability to lose weight in the New Year is all in your head. Anyone who tells you otherwise is a straight-up liar; I don’t care how many credentials they have behind their name, or how many testimonials they have on their website.

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Posted On December 6, 2007 · Filed Under Diet & Nutrition · Tagged With

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  • A strong positive outlook to losing weight is def key to making it happen. I am just about to start, but as each day of the New Year drifts on, have not started yet - your article could not have come at a better time - I start right now...
  • DennisCovet
    In the end, all you need is a healthy lifestyle, which not only helps you lose weight, but also to escape from various diseases, like cancer or others. As long as you pursue a good free diet plan your physical appearance will improve, not to mention the importance of working out. Armed with these, you can't go wrong.
  • My new year resolution would be to do YOGA daily. Right now because of work pressure I skip it 2-3 days a week but will need to strictly follow now to atleast loose 10kgs by 03/31/10.
  • However there are so many ways to losing weight. The importance is we must consider some factors to choose the best weight loss diet that suitable for our body
  • The basic formula for weight loss is the same as it has always been: move more, eat less.

    It is still beneficial to get involved in a program that helps to keep you on track to DO that, but no matter what the details are of the nutrition or exercise plan, that is always the basic formula for weight loss.
  • Excellent blog! The problem is motivating the mind and changing your state of thinking, we are so easily put down by ourselves we sometimes don’t allow a change on the inside to take place. I get irritated by seeing people buy all those diet plan books and try complicated diets when all that is simply needed is to go running and eat less/no fatty stuff, simple :) I’ve done it and I know anyone else can.
  • Mary,

    Getting out even for a walk on a regular basis is a great way to get things rolling when it comes to weight loss, not to mention the added benefit of fresh air and companionship.

    As far as Herbalife, or any other supplements, my best advice is to remember that all supplements are just that - supplements. A reasonably good diet and exercise program should always be part of the mix. :)
  • mary
    Hello, This is Mary

    I am 36 years old with 2 toddlers. My youngest just started day care last week- which still feels a little strange. I haven't had this much time to myself in years. First thing I want to do is lose the extra pounds I put on during the last pregnancy. One of the girls next door has suggested I join her walking group two days a week. After my first pregnancy I lost around 35 pounds using the Herbalife products, but when I called the man that sold them to me three years ago he told me this week he doesn't sell them anymore. He told me to look on the internet. It's disappointing because he was really nice and he called me regularly to make sure I was using their products correctly. It was nice to have someone checking in with me every week to see how I was and it kept me motivated.

    I searched on the internet for someone that sells Herbalife in New Jersey. I found many websites but I don't want
    just to buy the products, I want to find someone trustworthy that sells the products so I can also meet them and get started again.

    Could anybody here recommend someone in New Brunswick?.

    Thanks, Mary
  • Craig,

    You share such great wisdom and truths. I bet the people in your area who benefit from your words and deeds have made some of those forever changes as a direct result of your words and ideas.

    Thank you so much for sharing such wonderful advice here at Today is that Day!
  • Hey Aaron,
    1. Be completely realistic and practical (not to be confused with negative) about the change process.
    Don't try and undo twenty years of bad behaviours and habits by next Tuesday.
    Don't try and change fifty things at once.
    Identify your key challenges/concerns for you right now and approach those methodically, practically and sensibly.
    Short, medium and long-term plans and goals.

    2. Know that FOREVER change works from the inside out.
    If you want forever change on the outside, you need to be forever different on the inside.
    Not some temporary, manufactured, pseudo-change but real-deal internal change.
    From today you need to think, choose, react, communicate and create different(ly).
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