Restart your weight-loss journey even though it’s June!
…Don’t you dare wait until January to start again!
If you’ve fallen off your weight-loss journey a couple of times this year already, you’re not alone. In a poll taken by Forbes Health in October 2023, 48% of people said that improving fitness would be a top priority in 2024. Meanwhile, only 8% of people tend to stick with their goals for one month, 5% last six months, and 1% make it to twelve (Sarah Davis and Alena Hall, ‘New Year’s Resolutions Statistics 2024’, Forbes Health, December 18, 2023). Evidently, consistency is a challenge, and once people fall off, it seems tough to start over. More so, if it isn’t a Monday or the start of a new year.
Why we wait until the top of the Year
To be honest, there really isn’t any deep philosophical reason why we do this. It’s all based on feelings. According to health and diet expert, Dr. Duane Mellor, we do this because we feel we would do better around this time (Annabel Rackham, ‘Why do people always wait until January to get fit’, BBC, December 9, 2023). This is the time when the calendar restarts, when other people are also starting over and when the media is focused on new beginnings. With all of this happening around us, it’s no wonder that we feel, it’s best to start in January. The problem is, this seldom works out for us.
Here’s why you shouldn’t wait
I could find statistics to prove why delay never works out, but I don’t need to. If you’re reading this, you already know that. In fact, I’m writing this because I know that, and want to make sure that none of us falls for this trap again.
The harsh truth is, we know there’s nothing special about a Monday or January start. We know that it’s just another excuse for procrastination, and once we think about it, we can easily realize that every day is the start of a new year. The same distractions and temptations that we face today will be waiting for us come January. That’s precisely why there’s no justifiable reason for delaying our start.
Here’s what you can do today
The biggest mistake that you can make now is to set a task that you can’t complete today. You need to get started by doing something that’ll make you feel that little burst of satisfaction that comes from finishing a task. That’s what will help you build momentum to tackle much bigger tasks and ultimately meet your goals (Ellen Hendrlken, Ph.D., ‘How to Finally Stop Procrastinating’, Psychology Today, August 3, 2021).
- Stop drinking calories. Beverages account for about 17 to 19% of the calories we take in on a daily basis. (Randy P. LaComb etal,’ Dietary Data Brief №6 Beverage Choices of U.S. Adult’, National Library of Medicine, August 2011). By replacing beverages with water, we can instantly cut out this contributor. Although it may be challenging initially, it’s likely less challenging than changing what we eat. That’s why it’s a good way to get started immediately.
- Walk for 15 minutes. One of the quickest paths to failure is setting an unrealistic goal. Walking is an excellent, low-impact activity to begin with. It doesn’t require weights, trainers, special skills, or a lot of time. It’s something you can do right now to feel better and boost your energy. It’ll also motivate you to do even more tomorrow.
- Set sustainable goals for tomorrow and beyond. Once you’ve decided to stop drinking calories, and taken the step to move your body, take some time to set some goals that you can actually stick to. Try to make them process goals instead of outcome goals. Whereas outcome goals focus on the end, like losing a set amount of weight by a set date, process goals focus on the means. That is, how many workouts you want to do per week for how many minutes. This type of goal, according to studies, tend to result in reduced procrastination because you’re able to see results almost instantly (“Six tips for managing fitness procrastination”, Fitness Blender). If your goal is to exercise tomorrow for 20 minutes, once you’ve done that, you’ve reached your target, and you have good reason to feel great about it.
All in all, don’t sulk about falling off your weight-loss journey any longer. Lots of us did. More importantly, don’t delay your restart until Monday or January. That’s a trap you’re all too familiar with. Do something today, so that your future self can thank you.
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this story. For more content from me, stay tuned, and if you’re interested in reading more of my writings you can pick up a copy of my book, Grieving While Christian. In it, I share how I reconcile the death of my dad with my Christian belief that God is good.
