It's that time of the year again - that time when so many of us will make a New Year's resolution. According to several sources, 45% of Americans will make a resolution, and only 8% will be successful in achieving it. The number one resolution? Weight loss. Improving fitness comes in at number five.This will drive people to strange and uncharacteristic behaviors ranging from giving up any myriad of activities cold turkey, to purchasing gym memberships that won't be used more than a handful of times, to joining clubs or weight loss groups or starting a detox program of some sort. (Keep in mind that detox drinks/diets/plans are one of the biggest scams out there. You have a cool little organ called your liver that already does this for you, and no amount of water, cayenne, lemon juice, vinegar, or green tea can hold a candle to what your liver does for free.) I'm sure you've heard this before, but I'll put it out there again: The diet industry pulls in a staggering 40 billion dollars a year, with a failure rate of 95%, meaning that 95% of people who diet in any form will re-gain all of the weight they lose - and often more - within 1-5 years. It's brilliant, from a business perspective. I mean, think about it - a product that will never work but can be marketed again and again and again as if it might work this time so that consumers will continue to buy it. And try. And fail. Changing the packaging or the name or the marketing messages seems to be enough to keep people coming back for more failure. Amazing. Holiday weight gain is real, and New Year's is a convenient time to address it. I believe there is a downward slide that begins with Halloween candy, brings us to Thanksgiving feasting, and then the month of December, which seems to be one huge Lindt-ball laden extravaganza. Couple that with cold temps outside, short days and less time to exercise, and by this time, I think most people are feeling like they're ready for a change, or at least to shed a few pounds. But here's a radical idea: Rather than set yourself up for failure with a resolution or a diet, start with self-acceptance. Instead of using BMI calculators or calorie counters or squeezing into your skinny jeans and feeling awful, try this: Look in the mirror and say "Today I am at my perfect weight." Because you are, at least in the sense that this is where you are today. Self-love and acceptance are incredibly powerful tools. First of all, they work instantaneously. You don't have to wait a few days or experiment on yourself - just be kind to yourself. Now. Today. It's a great place to start. It will breed a desire to care for and make better, rather than to punish your body. Having struggled through anorexia as an adolescent, I feel like I have spent the last three decades of my life (I can remember this as far back as 10 years old) looking into mirrors or at photos and saying "yuck" or seeing every single flaw, to a point where it is a reflex as natural as breathing for me. If you have that same reflex, fight it. Talk back to it. Look at yourself and see the things you love. Or find things to love. Or start loving the things you've always hated. Make a choice that this year is going to be different, not because you are going to get skinny or perfect, but because you are you going to accept yourself, exactly where you are, right now. I have never, ever met a woman who has not wanted to lose at least 5 pounds. Never. Let's try something different. Perspective helps. Here are some thoughts to keep in mind:
Extreme dieting ---> Failure ---> Complete lack of awareness of anything diet-related ----> Weight gain ...and then back to the beginning Five years or so ago, I decided to start feeding myself better to improve my health in areas where there were some concerns - blood pressure, hormone balance, blood sugar control - and it worked. Amazing. That stops the cycle before it even begins, and it is a form of feeding and loving myself, rather than punishing. And while I did lose significant weight that I have kept off, I was actually more excited about the changes I saw in my health than anything. This was a crucial paradigm shift, and it's made all the difference.
There are good, compelling reasons to lose weight for some individuals, in some circumstances. And there are ways to successfully lose weight and keep it off. But there is no quick fix, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Don't give in to the diet industry this year. You are at the perfect weight for this moment, this day, maybe even this year. Accept that, and see what else opens up to you.
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AuthorI'm Emily. I currently work in online education management, but I also have a Masters degree in Nutritional Sciences (my true passion). In addition, I am a mom, cook, avid reader, novice gardener, and enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities. On my blog, you will find articles on food, fitness, weight management, and eating issues. ALL recipes on my blog are gluten-free. Many are low-carbohydrate. Most are grain free. Enjoy! Categories
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