Ahh, January. The month of new beginnings and new goals! I mean, you can certainly start new things and goals any time of year, but a lot of people like to hop on the “new year, new you” bandwagon. 

And you know what? I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that! Whenever you feel motivated to set goals for yourself and follow through with them, DO IT! There is truly something inspiring about a fresh year ahead.

With that being said, if you are wanting to kick start a weight loss goal in January, I want to help you do it the right way! Here are 5 things to keep in mind as you embark on your new year:

1. Avoid the quick-fix diet programs like the plague

The best way to start your weight loss goal on the WRONG foot is by jumping into a fast weight-loss strategy. This could look like following a strict diet for 30 days, following an intense workout program 6+ days a week, or re-downloading an app to track your calories or macros religiously. 

Why do I not want you to do these things? To put it simply, it’s too extreme and it’s not going to work long-term. I want you to start things off in a sustainable manner so when February rolls around you’re not back to square 1. 

I also want you to be gentle to your metabolism! Research shows more than half of dieters regain the original weight lost while dieting, with most people regaining in a surplus! So…talk about back going back to square -1. 

2. Focus on the foundations first

Ok, so let’s talk about the BEST way to kickstart your weight loss goal: the foundations. What foundations am I talking about? These ones:

• Blood sugar balance
• Building muscle
• Regular movement
• Sleep
• Stress management
• Gut health

I know this seems like a lot. It’s kind of like you just stepped into the cockpit of an airplane and you’re expected to figure out how to fly this thing with all the levers, buttons, and switches. 

No worries – let me tell you what lever has the most bang for its buck: blood sugar balance. 

Even if you feel like you have literally no idea what you’re doing, balancing your blood sugar will make sure you’re not “crashing the plane.” In fact, you’ll feel its effects the quickest and build the momentum you need to keep going.

So….how do you balance your blood sugar? Protein, healthy fat, and fiber. PHFF.

Eating protein, healthy fat, and fiber at your meals does an incredible job of keeping your blood sugar nice and steady all day long. This means no spikes, which means no crashes, which means minimal to no cravings and staying satisfied all day long. Talk about a win, win, win.

The PHFF strategy is simple and flexible. You can apply it anywhere. I don’t care if you’re eating at home, at a party, or traveling. For a deeper dive on blood sugar balance and all things PHFF, check out this post.

Once you feel confident in blood sugar balance, move on to the other foundations. They are critical pieces of your “metabolic ecosystem” and will support fat burn in a healthy way. 

3. Get clear on your goals

Embarking on a weight loss goal is pretty common, but what’s not as common is setting aside some time to get really clear on your why. 

Why do you want to lose weight? How would that change your life, like really? (more than just being able to were a different size of pants) How would that change how you show up in your life?

Be clear as day on your why. Ask yourself why 5 times. Like, be so, so specific.

Why will this help you? If you just say to yourself “I’m going to lose weight” but then something comes up that makes following through with that the slightest bit inconvenient, it’s super easy to just push that off to the side. You didn’t really establish why this is important to you. You have no skin in the game. 

But if you do get really clear and serious on the why, when life does get difficult (because it will), following through on your intentions isn’t necessarily easier, but it’s not going to be your knee-jerk reaction to just set that goal to the side. You know exactly why you want to lose weight. You’re not just going to ignore that person you want to become. And if you do, then you didn’t dig deep enough or have a clear enough why.

4. Surround yourself with like-minded people

You don’t have to declare your January weight loss goal to the world, but make sure you have some kind of support in your life. Even better if they think similarly in that slow and steady wins the race for healthy weight loss.

This kind of support could come from your spouse, partner, significant other, loved one, or a friend or two. It can also come from…..drum roll….an entire community of people and dietitian coaches who have very similar goals as you. Where can you find this? Inside myDietitian!

However you do it, having a support system is going to be really helpful for the year ahead.

5. Avoid drastically cutting calories

The last nugget I want to share with you so your weight loss goal this month starts off in the best way possible is to avoid the urge to be in a large calorie deficit. 

I totally get it. It’s what we’ve been taught and preached for YEARS. Our entire lives it seems like. But here’s the truth: our bodies need enough gas in the tank in order to keep our metabolisms revved and allow the body to burn fat. 

Think of it like this: do you expect your “metabolic fire” to be blazing and roaring by only putting little wood chips on it? No! You need to put enough big hearty logs onto the fire if you want that fire to burn big and bright. 

Don’t expect healthy fat loss without enough fuel. Period.

You NEED more than 1200 calories a day. Although I truly don’t want you stressing about calories and tracking your food daily, it’s not a bad idea to be really aware of how much you’re truly eating at the start of your weight loss goal. 

Let’s quickly go back to the PHFF strategy. You can follow this structure for each meal, and this will help you make sure you’re eating enough:

You can absolutely lose weight without drastically cutting your calories! Focusing on the foundations, increasing your muscle mass, and thinking about consistency vs. perfection is truly the secret sauce.

Now with all this in mind, go ahead and jump-start your goals!

You got this!

– Coach Elle