New Year's Resolutions and the Phenomenon of One Meal

In the wake of the New Year in about two weeks, we’re going to get a lot of new “resolutioners” joining MFP on a mission to lose weight; “Yeah! This year, it’s happening! Not like last year, no sir! I’m getting serious and I WILL look HAWT! I’m gonna lose 20 pounds by Spring Break and you can't stop me!”

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been that person. Losing weight has been my resolution for the past seven New Years at least! And you know what: I have only steadily gained weight since that first ill-fated New Year’s Eve. But taking a step back and reflecting on my habits, here is what I have found always happens:

Week after New Year’s, I start eating at a deficit. I’m good for a few days… until I get invited out for dinner and drinks OR my favorite donuts are in the office kitchen OR I have a bad day at work OR whatever trivial monkey wrenches the world decides to throw at me. Long story short, I declare my efforts for the week ruined, vow to start again NEXT WEEK—on the proverbial Monday—and not only that, but vow to make sure the weekend counts, so I eat all the calorie bombs I can IN EXCESS before I have to be “good” again.

Repeat cycle.

And then… before I know it, it’s June.

And then it’s Thanksgiving; and then Christmas…

And then:
Happy freakin’ New Year… again.

“But for realz guyz, I’m super cereal this time!!”

So, in reflecting on this, it’s dawned on me how strange I let ONE meal ruin the whole week. Like how freakin’ silly is that? ONE. MEAL. And the ONE meal become MULTIPLE meals. Say your goal is to lose weight by the end of March: if you take 3 meals a day and multiply by the amount of days between Jan. 1 and Mar. 31 (90 days), that’s 270 meals total. ONE MEAL out of 270 and all attempts is suddenly in vain. Multiply 3 by 365 days (1 year) and it becomes 1,095 meals! Why do I give food that much power to the point my weight-loss efforts are thwarted completely? Time flies by so much faster to me now that I think: if I had only just got back on the wagon the next day, even if I only lost half a pound a week… I would be so close to my goal right now. Time creeps up on you and in a snap, summer’s here and pounds lost equals -5.

Moral of the post: time is precious and fast. Take it slow and don’t let one meal ruin your goals, because they're not ruined unless YOU allow them to be. YOU are in charge, not the food. I have seen this reiterated time and time again on this forum: start again the next day or the next meal. And it's the best advice for the situation. It doesn't matter how you get there, just as long as you do, and you’ll be there before you know it. I know half a pound a week doesn't seem like it’s even worth it to try to lose, but it’s a lot better than looking at yourself in the mirror when half the year has passed and you’re disappointed because you’re still at your starting weight… or worse! Better to come up a little short in your goals than to still be at square one. Love yourself and forgive yourself for indulging… heck, ALLOW yourself to indulge. You can’t expect to be perfect 100% of the time.

We’re all in this together and all face the same obstacles and surprises in life. It is possible to overcome them. You can do it!