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Year after year weight loss ranks in as number one on many New Year’s Resolution lists, yet roughly 95% of the people who put it on their lists will fail.

Luckily, you can be a part of the 5% of people who will succeed this year by learning why so many others fail.

Here are the top 5 reasons people fail to lose weight in the New Year:

1). Poor and unrealistic goal setting:

Many people who want to lose weight set goals that are truly unattainable—such as losing 10 pounds in a week—and as a result fail quite rapidly. Make sure your goals are realistic for you based on your current situation and any limitations you may have. Create both short and long-term S.M.A.R.T. goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. Simply stating that you want to “lose weight,” or that you want to “lose 20 pounds,” isn’t really good goal setting. By creating good and realistic goals you are taking the first important step towards your success. Make sure to write them all down and put them up somewhere that you will see them daily.

2). Failure to plan:

Winston Churchill said it best when he said “He who fails to plan is planning to fail.” No matter how much you want to lose weight and no matter how much you keep telling yourself that you will make the effort, you still need to plan it all out. Sit down and figure out how you can incorporate exercise and healthy eating into your busy schedule without leaving room for excuses. Write down your exercise program for at least 4 weeks, if not longer, in advance and post it up somewhere where you will be reminded of it daily (i.e. on your refrigerator). Make your fitness goals as much of a priority in your life as your job and family. When people write down their plan, they are more likely to stay committed to it and thus more likely to succeed.

3). Fad dieting:

When it comes to losing weight in the New Year, most people fail in large part to fad dieting. Fad diets such as the lemonade diet, low-carbohydrate, and high protein diet for example, all require the dieter to limit some important nutrient out of their diet promising rapid weight loss in a short period of time. These types of diets may result in some weight loss initially, but many times this is merely attributed to water-loss not fat-loss. According to the Gale Nutrition Encyclopedia:

As many as 95 percent of people who lose weight gain it back within five years. It is not surprising that nearly 25 percent of Americans are confused when it comes to information about dieting.

Those who gain the weight back after fad dieting may feel a sense of failure and disappointment. Often times this causes people to give up on their goal of weight loss believing that it is simply unattainable. Instead of spending all that money on products of a fad diet, spend that $100 on a dietitian/nutritionist who will help create a meal plan specific to you and your goals of losing weight and keeping it off this year and the next.

Check out the benefits of being a club member and their meal planning that includes planning meals with an exercise program.   Click here.

4). Small barriers and obstacles:

Losing weight is not easy, but the rewards are plentiful. Often times when people encounter small obstacles along their journey towards weight loss, they get discouraged and give up. When people hit plateaus, when they give in to temptation, and when they miss a workout they often allow these small bumps in the road to become an excuse to quit. If you are serious about your weight loss, you will shrug these obstacles off and find out what you can do to avoid them again. Be persistent, dedicated, and seriously committed and there is no way you can fail. Realize that everyone, even the fittest of people, encounter problems with weight loss and take it as an opportunity to learn and grow.

5). Lack of knowledge:

People often fail to lose weight because they simply do not know how to. While many people think they know the most effective way to lose weight, only a small percentage of people actually do. A lack of knowledge may result in a lack of results which usually leads to discouragement and failure. A complete exercise program will consist of cardio, flexibility, and strength training. A healthy diet may depend on the particular needs of the individual in relation to their goals and medical condition. Generally speaking, however, if you are trying to lose weight, you may need to cut back 500 calories a day from your regular caloric intake. Talk to your doctor or a certified personal trainer in your area for the best information about losing weight.

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