Here's Why You Should Focus On Being Healthy Instead of Losing Weight
There's a powerful different between the two.
According to Time, as well as dozens of other sites if you take the time to do the research, losing weight is the top resolution that people make every New Year. Not far behind are resolutions about quitting smoking, drinking, or whatever other vices people have, and to spend less money. All reasonable, right? Well, not really. Also according to Time, these are the top resolutions that are broken and broken early on in the year, too. And I’m sure, if you look at your past attempts at New Year’s resolutions, you might be guilty of having broken your as well, too.
But I want to focus on the whole losing weight thing, because I know all of us, like each and every one of us, has made this a New Year’s resolution at some point. And you know what? You shouldn’t and here’s why.
1. It’s cliché. Don’t you want to be original?
As we already know, statistically, losing weight is always a top resolution for most people. It’s so common that’s it’s not just a cliché, but a boring cliché. In making resolutions that aren’t about losing weight, you’re not just being original, but you’re also giving a nice big fat middle finger to society, the society that has dictated that losing weight is the most important thing you’ll ever do in your life. Pfft. What a bunch of malarkey.
2. You’re putting too much pressure on yourself.
New Year’s resolutions put a lot of pressure on us – no matter what they are. Because it is the beginning of a new year, we feel the need to stick to our resolutions in a way that we wouldn’t feel like we have to if we just chose a random Monday to start. Pressure rarely leads to success.
3. Your expectations are likely to be unrealistic.
Every time I’ve made the resolution to lose weight, I've looked at the month of January and said, “I will lose 20 pounds by February 1st.” While 20 pounds a month isn’t totally unrealistic, it does require the type of diligence, dedication, and effort that you just don’t acquire overnight. Instead, you should baby step it, but the problem with New Year’s resolutions is we feel the need to go big or go home. Again, that amount of pressure is going to contribute to breaking that resolution even before February hits – as is the case with 30 percent resolutions anyway.
4. You might actually may end up gaining weight instead.
Although research has found that people who diet can lose between five and 10 percent of their starting weight, the problem is that diets are a short-term fix to something that requires long-term maintenance. Because that’s the case, many people who go on diets lose weight, but because they don’t make the necessary lifestyle changes to keep the weight off, most gain back what they loss and then some.
5. Being healthy isn’t about how much you weigh.
What’s more important than your weight is your health. Just because you’re carrying extra weight, it doesn’t mean you’re an unhealthy person. Different people are healthiest at different weights, and that’s something to consider. Put your health before your waist size.
6. Losing weight isn’t going to make you or your life any better.
If you drop 20, 30, or even 50 pounds this year, that doesn’t mean your life is going to be miraculously better. You’re not going to have more friends, you’re not going to not magically get that second home in the Hamptons all because you lost that weight and, I’m sorry to break it to you, Chris Hemsworth isn’t going to leave his wife to be with you. Weight loss may make you feel better in the short term, but it’s not going to transform your life into a perfect world.
7. You’re gorgeous just the way you are.
Look at you! You’re gorgeous! You’re a work of art! You’re hot, you’re stunning, you’re interesting, and resolutions to lose weight are not your scene! Now go forth, live your life, and take that last slice of pizza before anyone else does. Life is too short to give up that slice to someone else. And even if that means that your skinny jeans will go another entire year collecting dust in your closet, then so be it.
This article originally appeared on Livingly.
