It feels like 9/10 people say that their goal for the new year is to lose weight. It’s why the gyms are overflowing with people, why crazy diets and articles about foods that will “melt the fat away” are in, and why most of us are wondering if we should join in on the hype. These are the things we’ll be hearing about too much for the next few months, and I have to wonder if it’s even super important to make this a “resolution” that’s supposed to keep you going through a new year.
The resolution to lose weight being so popular suggests what is already suggested year-round: it’s important to look the way society wants you to look, because that’s the only way to be sexy and feel happy! It sends people hustling to the gym when they’d rather be spending a nice day at home. It makes them eat leafy greens for every meal when they’re dying for a slice of pizza. It makes people obsess about something that really might not even be all that important to them.
Let’s just get one thing straight: you’re already perfect, just the way you are. Unless you’ve been told by a doctor that you absolutely HAVE to lose weight because it’s impeding on your health, then there is no reason to obsess so hard over a goal that can be easily achieved through moderation! Though making it a resolution for the entire year is a great way to kick-start your goal, there has to be a balance between obsessing and making it a part of your lifestyle. So many people probably quit after those first few months because it gives them the impression that “losing weight” means “rabbit food and spending all my free time at the gym.” (Hint: it’s not true!)
However, if getting slimmer is still the goal, there’s so many ways to do it that don’t include going to a gym, especially if the gym environment is intimidating for you. Lord knows I don't want a dozen meat-heads staring at me while I watch Bob's Burgers during my time on the treadmill.
Get out of the house and take a walk around the neighborhood! Get some home-workout DVD’s! Find Yoga classes online! The amount of things you can do that will keep you stress free while working toward your goal are endless. Also, you don’t have to spend hours on these things every day, either! You’ve got a life to live, y’know. If working out for several hours a day isn't your idea of fun, no one says you need to do it for that long. Half an hour to an hour a day is still a perfect amount for getting to a weight loss goal you may have while still getting to enjoy your other favorite activities.
And no one in the history of forever (or something like that) said that you have to deprive yourself of the foods you love to lose weight. You can just eat less of the junky foods you love, while also finding some healthy foods you enjoy so dieting doesn’t become a quick journey into feeling like you’re dying. It’s all about finding a balance in your life that will help you toward that bigger goal. It's one thing if you're in an occupation that requires you to look toned and muscular all the time, but if that's not the case, there's absolutely no reason why you'd have to starve yourself to get shredded ASAP. That just sounds painful.
I have nothing against weight loss being a resolution for a new year, seeing as I’m someone who used to be 80 pounds heavier than I am, today. However, I achieved this by just sticking to a calorie amount per day and getting some moderate exercise at least 5 times a week. It wasn't an instant fix, but I lost the weight, and it's stayed off!
It feels like so many sketchy diets and people wasting their days away in a gym are inspired by the “weight loss resolution” that spurs back up every year. Not to say that spending long hours at a gym is bad, but I’m just saying you should only spend that much time in a gym if it’s what you enjoy! You can enjoy your life, eat what you want, and be healthy without it becoming an obsession. Doesn’t that sound like a better goal than trying to pedal on a stationary bike with lettuce being your only fuel?
What do you think about the whole “weight loss as a new year’s resolution” trend? Do you think people get too obsessed with it? Let us know in the comments!
2 comments
For me, my weight resolutions were easy to achieve after eating and drinking like crap and tired of feeling like crap during the holidays. I’m a simple guy, so I used a simple plan. I had a tremendous amount of success by cutting back on my portion sizes, never going back for seconds, cut back on my beer intake, and upped my physical activities. 20 minutes on the elliptical at home every day. And squats. Lots of them. For the booty. Went from 235 to 205 in 3.5 months. Definitely worth it because I love the way my ass looks in BA’s Tangas and thongs!(more colors please lol). Good luck!
Resolutions are far too final for me. I prefer rules that I can change, swap, or drop to avoid fixation on particular routines, counts or weights. One of my most enduring rules is “thou shalt not count”. If I find myself counting reps I repeat it as a mantra. In his book Peak Condition, Scott Madsen, my Bowflex idol, talks about “getting to know your body” It’s a good read for everybody, especially BodyAware guys. Wearing hot undies and looking good in them helps to keep me motivated. Fortunately my favorite BA models are in peak condition and BodyAware keeps creating new styles to show off their hot bodies even better. Sparky Harrison made the connection in his last Active In BodyAware blog when he mentions “finding the right style to take me to the next level [of Yoga practice]”. When that happens I know I’ll want one just like it!