As the New Year begins, so do the New Year’s resolutions, and one of the most popular ones is weight loss. Unfortunately, the odds are not in our favor when it comes to resolutions, as most people give up in the first few weeks.
If that sounds familiar, then this year I want to suggest a new way of approaching wellness. Instead of making big goals and setting yourself up for challenges that you just want to quit, I suggest making a simple commitment to loving yourself. When you feel loved, you feel happy! And aren’t love and happiness the real reasons behind the resolution to lose weight? Best of all, you won’t want to quit – who wants to quit feeling happy and loved?
Here are my top tips:
1. FALL IN LOVE WITH YOURSELF
It may sound strange, but most people I know don’t fully love themselves. You can go on and on about why you love your partner or your friends, but do you have a list of why you are so amazing yourself?
This year I invite you to make a list of qualities and features that you love about you. For example, how about loving your witty sense of humor or your depth of character? How about that beautiful smile and those strong fingernails?
Make a list and re-read it every morning when you wake up and every night before going to bed. Then just watch your life change!
If you need support or suggestions, check out #100DaySelfLoveAffair on social media.
2. FIND FOODS THAT YOU LOVE AND THAT LOVE YOU BACK
The best way to make a lifelong dietary change is to focus on win-win. Instead of making a list of what you can’t eat and items that you have to avoid, make the following two love lists:
1. Foods that you LOVE to eat
2. Foods that LOVE you & make you feel good after you eat them
After you write these two lists, see which items appear on both of them, and focus on those foods!
For example, I love berries and bananas, and I feel good when I eat them. Instead of feeling deprived that I can’t have too much dairy ice cream, I try to skip dairy altogether and have an Acai bowl instead. In the end, I feel good during my meal and after it as well. Why settle for less than a win-win? Check out my blog on the best Acai Bowls in Boca.
3. DO RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS EVERY WEEK
Even though I would love for each one of us to do random acts of kindness every day, I think it is hard to follow through with that kind of commitment. So, instead of setting yourself up failure, set yourself up for success, and do random acts of kindness every week.
For example, make Monday random acts of kindness day, and start every week by doing something nice for someone. Maybe buy coffee for your co-worker, make your friend feel loved with a big hug or offer to run an errand for someone who you know is overwhelmed.
As a result, you will boost your own serotonin (feel-good hormone), the serotonin of the recipient of your gesture and the serotonin of someone who may be observing or hearing about your act of kindness. How about that for a win-win-win?
I believe that when we truly love ourselves, we can truly love others, and by doing both, we can create a happier world for everyone. So, let’s make 2016 a fabulous year!
