How to Build Healthy Weight-loss Habits in 2024

Make 2024 your weight loss year

Ah, the festive season—a time filled with joy, laughter, and, let’s face it, heaps of delicious food! Ever noticed how those extra helpings of peppermint crisp tart and endless holiday treats seem to magically add a few kilos to the scale? It’s like a holiday gift we didn’t ask for! But truth be told, gaining weight after the festive season is a pretty common tale for many of us.  Suddenly, those snug-fit, favourite jeans become a bit too snug.

A NEW YEAR – A NEW ME

Do resolutions work?

As the calendar flips to 2024, we partake in a tradition brimming with hope and possibilities – crafting New Year’s resolutions!   With determination, we picture a new me with positive changes, personal growth, a healthy body, and a slim waistline.  Therefore, we make drastic resolutions – which should act as glowing beacons.  We face our giant and plan giant steps to overcome it.  

But too soon we find, we lack the persistent enthusiasm of our aspirations: to pursue our goals like shaking off the extra weight.  Maybe the hassle is in the size of our steps. 

Here’s how to build good habits:

Step 1: Take Small Steps

In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear presents a workable system that will bring you to your goals.

He says:  Focus on making small improvements each day  –  over time, those small improvements will equate to massive change. Goals are good for setting a direction, but systems are best for making progress.

Tiny persistent steps over time will breed powerful results.  Stand amazed at high-level changes by making a 1 percent change each day.

Pay attention to small action steps, make small changes, and achieve more.  Set yourself a challenge to get 1% better each day for the next 30 days. 

For example, if you want to lose those extra kilos, start eating one fruit a day, if you were not a fruit eater. Then eat a fruit instead of a chocolate. Instead of focusing on losing 10 kg, concentrate on exercising for 30 minutes three times a week. Over time you will begin to see changes in your body.

Dr Barbara O’Neil states that 15 minutes of intentional exercise a day, is enough to build a healthy body.

Step 2:  Commit to a Goal

All big things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision. But as that decision is repeated, a habit sprouts and grows stronger.

Stephen Covey said: “I am not the product of my circumstances, I am, a product of my decisions.”

Is there a new lifestyle change you would like to make? Commit to a goal for 21 days (less than a month – before your next paycheck) and it will become a habit.  The 21/90 rule states that it takes 21 days to form a habit and 90 days to make it a permanent lifestyle change.

Don’t choose something too difficult.
It cannot be something that you are likely to give up on in a few days.
Don’t try to immediately practice for 3 hours, before you even have your breakfast, you will fail miserably and feeling like a failure will create a negative mindset about yourself. 

Commit to an attainable goal for 21 days and it will become a habit. Commit to your goal for 90 days ( less than a season ) and it will become a part of your lifestyle. 

Bad habits also compound over time, if you delay working on something every day, the bad habit of procrastinating will multiply and seep into other areas of your life.

Step 3:  Make it Easy

According to James Clear, behaviour change comprises four components.

Four components we can use to build better habits. They are: make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy, and make it satisfying.”

• Make it OBVIOUS: Don’t hide your running shoes or the fruit you want to eat, display them to remind yourself about the new you.
• Make it ATTRACTIVE: Buy healthy snacks or gym wear, and it’ll encourage you to use them.
• Make it EASY: If you want to eat more fruit, eat the fruits that are easy to eat.
• Make it SATISFYING: If you are satisfied, you will want more.

Apply this to all good habits and do the opposite to bad habits: Make them invisible, unattractive, difficult to do, and unsatisfying.

Ask yourself:

• How can I make it obvious? Establish a running habit by placing your running shoes at the foot of your bed.
• How can I make it attractive? Buy nice running shoes or new gym clothing.
• How can I make it easy? By starting small—I can run or walk for fifteen minutes a day.
• How can I make it satisfying? By preparing a delicious, healthy meal when I’ve finished my run.

Step 4: Reward Yourself

After [HABIT I NEED], I will [HABIT I WANT]. Something you enjoy or like to do.

Some examples:  A relaxing bath, reading a favourite book, watching a movie, or tea with a friend after reaching the 21-day goal.

Takeaway

On entering the new year or seeing the scale, many of us decide on some drastic actions to lose weight but lack the self-discipline to follow through. 

Visualize the New You.  Start with tiny improvements although they may appear small.

1. make it obvious, 
2. make it attractive, 
3. make it easy, and 
4. make it satisfying,

 Minute changes are transformational if you stick with it.

The New You is an attainable possibility!