Resolution Setting: How to avoid setting weight loss goals

Happy New Year!

We have officially arrived! It is the new year, January, and also the time when most folks set resolutions or goals for the year.

I have always loved to set a goal as a new year begins and for years have set all sorts of resolutions. This year is a little different because in the past, many of my goals revolved around weight loss or changing my body.

I spent years starting the year by telling myself:

“You need to change your body. There is something wrong with your body the way it is, and you will be happier in a smaller body.”

Year after year I failed at those weight loss goals. I typically would stay strong for a few months or weeks, and fall off every weekend. I cut so many calories and worked out religiously and it wasn’t healthy or sustainable…at all.

So I set all the goals to change myself and then would look back at the year and feel like a failure because I hadn’t starved myself enough or made myself smaller. 

When I found body confidence and body acceptance I stopped setting weight loss goals. Because, as we know, your body is worthy of joy no matter its shape or size. Now I focus on goals that fill my cup and help me grow as a person and help me chase joy and happiness.

So this year I am sharing some of my goals with you, to encourage you to set goals that are not solely focused on the size of your body.

Here are a few of my goals:

1. Read 60 books this year (I LOVE to read and it brings me so much joy!)

2. Get sunrise yoga certified and add it to my teaching schedule

3. Go on a solo walk everyday

4. Limit social media scrolling to 30 minutes a day (this helps me with another goal - stop comparing myself to others)

5. Write a book or at least an awesome story

Here are a few tips for setting new year goals/resolutions of your own:

1. Ask yourself, what makes you happy? What do you enjoy? How can you add more of that into this year?

2. What habits do you want to continue or break? 

3. What areas do you want to grow?

4. What fun things or adventures do you want to embark on this year?

5. Are your goals realistic and for you? If they are to please anyone else, then they are not worth setting! Focus on you!

This is a reminder that you are more than enough as you are, but you can always grow and improve and heal yourself. So maybe you want to focus on learning to love your body or trying out a new hobby, just remember to make the goals attainable and specifically special to you!

Happy New Year!