Make Your New Year’s Resolution A Family Affair!

Blog post image

As a crazy year (called “2020”) begins to wind down, you may be thinking about what you are going to do in 2021 to make healthy changes. This year, more than ever, one of the most popular wishes, desires, goals, or “resolutions” will be weight loss.

Covid-19 has no doubt contributed to many people’s weight gain this past year. The lockdowns, quarantines, etc. resulted in less activity for many people – including children. They have done remote learning and had a radical reduction in sports and other activities.

Many gyms and fitness facilities were closed for a significant amount of time. This not only took away the equipment, classes, etc. which people depended on. It, also, got people off track with their habits and patterns. Many have never quite got back into their fitness groove. Others remain afraid to return to crowded gyms where people are huffing and puffing.

On top of the reduced activity, many Americans binged on TV shows and snacked their weigh to what has been referred to as the “COVID -15”. That “15” is not a typo. It’s similar to the “Freshman-15” which refers to the weight many new college students pick up when they move away from home and radically alter their lifestyle.

Our lifestyles have, no doubt, been altered as a result of all the happenings this year. The high stress alone associated with the pandemic fall-out along with the political issues had the real potential to alter metabolism … and result in weight gain.

In a blog we posted a few years ago, we shared a study which had been done at the University of Scranton. The findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, and they really grabbed our attention. The study had listed the top 5 New Year Resolutions. Here’s what those were:

Rank Top New Year's Resolutions
1 Lose Weight
2 Getting Organized
3 Spend Less, Save More
4 Enjoy Life to the Fullest
Total Staying Fit and Healthy

The research findings showed that of the resolutions made, 38% are weight related resolutions. That means that of all the folks who make a resolution (and we all know there are hundreds of thousands who do) almost 4 of 10 want to reach a healthier weight. This year will be no different. In fact, it may very well be higher than that.

If you are reading this and you are an adult, you likely know the concerning statistics (which we often share) about child/adolescent overweight and obesity. You have surely been made aware of the risk factors of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and more that America’s next generation is facing. These are, of course, on top of the painful emotional effects a child may endure because of their weight.

We do not want to dwell on those things in this blog. Rather, we want to share an idea for a FAMILY RESOLUTION in 2021. What if you decided to lose weight as a family? Maybe you could even make it a FUN thing – not another “diet” and not something that feels miserable and penalizing.

Here are some ideas to consider:

  • First and foremost, focus on the lifestyle and the direction. Being able to share together how each of you feel physically and emotionally about yourselves. What are you able to do better or different? How does an article of clothing fit better? For that matter, how do you feel as a parent just knowing your family is getting better nutrition? We call things like these “non-scale victories” and they are just as important as what the scale says.
  • Set goals together! Maybe each person participating has an individual goal and you have a combined family goal. This would create accountability as well as cheers and encouragement for one another.
  • Maybe create some friendly “competition”, too. These kinds of challenges happen all the time in the work place, in gyms and even on-line. For example, set some simple reward for the person who loses the most body fat %. (side note: we are fans of tracking numbers like this rather than just overall pounds). Keep it positive and mix it up giving everyone an opportunity to shine!
  • Shop and meal prep together. This creates teamwork … and takes the load off just one person who may be attempting to lose weight by him or herself.
  • Again, think about the bigger picture… and the long-term benefits. We have many parents who come into our clinic and share that, besides their desire to lose weight, they also want to lead by example and teach their children better eating habits for their long term health and wellness.

Now is the time to be considering your 2021 goals and objectives. As a parent, you have the opportunity to make some fresh and significant changes for you – and your family. Something like a fun and family-focused wellness resolution could make next year SO positive.

Give it some thought. Then, reach out to us to learn more about our all-natural, science-based weight loss program. The last thing you want to do is mis-lead your whole family with a short-term “fad” diet that does not teach them the lifestyle of healthy eating and weight control.

We are here to help you and your family! Click or call to learn more!

Share this Post: