At this time of year, we are all keen to turn over a new leaf. We decide this is the year we'll get slim or get fit, or both. We make plans to finally get to the gym and start eating right. And it's great to feel that we have a chance for a new start. We decide that things will be different from January 1st.

But what happened to your plans for the bright shiny New Year last year? Did you suddenly become perfect over-night?

I thought not!

I can guarantee that each one of us, no matter what plans we make to get it right this year will fall off the wagon in some shape or form.

Does it matter?

Not a jot - unless you let it get to you. Unless you give up because of not being perfect.

Life will always get in the way somehow and you can let it affect your long term plans or you can pick yourself up, dust yourself down and just get back on track.

It helps, of course, if you don't have a rigid program you feel you have to follow. If you have set meal plans that require you eat certain foods - and you suddenly get sent away on business or you have a weekend away coming up or a dinner party they will be pretty impossible to keep to.

If your program insists that you do certain exercises 5 times a week at the gym and you get snowed in or simply get busy at work and can't get there you can end up throwing in the towel.

Even with my own program which has 24 key principles, you will be pretty hard-pushed to follow all of them 100% of the time. Goodness knows, even I don't do that! If you are following 80% of the principles 80% of the time you are doing just great.

Whatever you do don't look for perfection in your weight loss plans, look for progress. Make changes gradually so that they stick. Get into good habits one habit at a time. Do those things you CAN do to help yourself so that those things you can't don't matter so much.  Follow your chosen program when you can and adapt it when you can't and you'll get further, faster than by deciding to be absolutely perfect from Monday onwards. Monday is just another day in the rest of your life. Why not break with tradition and start now - go for a walk, serve yourself smaller portions, say "No" to the dessert you're really too full for.

And today is always a good time to start anything and with much less expectation of perfection than with a bright shiny New Year.
 
Copyright 2006,  Janice Elizabeth Small

 

By putting in place my simple system you will lose weight steadily week by week and stay in great shape without dieting for the rest of your life. 

Discover the 24 keys to permanent and healthy weight loss at http://www.simplyslimming.com/dietexitplan.