What happened to your weight loss plan on New Year’s Eve? Sure, most people start dieting on January 1st, but in order to know what you’ve been doing wrong so far, it’s a good idea to look back at what you did at the last party you went to. Let’s say you diligently prepared for looking good by only eating lean chicken breast and working out more than you usually do. Great. But when you arrived at the party – expecting to eat dinner soon – you received a glass of pinot and some nibbles instead and didn’t eat until 8:30. By that point, you were famished, tipsy and had already munched on half a bag of crisps and dip. Let’s be honest; you wolfed down that dinner and regretted it later.
According to Celebrity Nutrition & Fitness expert JJ Virgin, author of NY Times bestseller The Virgin Diet and the bestselling Six Weeks to Sleeveless and Sexy, ‘If I were at that party, I would encourage you to backtrack to figure out where things went wrong. I’ve helped countless people pinpoint common, yet debilitating obstacles that hinder fat loss.’ Over the course of her career, Virgin has seen six obstacles that, time and time again, get in the way of weight loss wellness. So which of these things are hindering your wellbeing?
1. Arriving Hungry: You have no way of telling what time food will be served at an event or when out for dinner, so make sure you have a healthy snack beforehand to ward off temptation. Virgin advises, ‘If having a meal isn’t possible before your flight or Saturday morning get-together, keep a bag of raw almonds nearby to stave off hunger.’
2. Neglecting Planning: As the saying goes: failing to plan is planning to fail. ‘Schedule and prioritise your workouts on your calendar,’ Virgin instructs. ‘Otherwise, mid-afternoon craziness usually usurps your fitness routine. Same thing with dinner. If you don’t pre-prep and have a general idea what will on your family’s plates tonight, chances are you’ll succumb to your kids’ pizza or drive-thru pleas. Being lean and sexy doesn’t just happen. You need to plan ahead and make it happen.’
3. Not Tracking What You’re Eating: Virgin notes, ‘A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found people who wrote down every forkful they ate lost twice as much weight as those who didn’t.’ You can go the traditional pen-and-paper route, or try looking online for helpful tracking resources.
4. Not Having A Support Network: ‘Don’t attempt fast fat loss alone,’ Virgin warns. ‘Find a good friend who genuinely wants your success, and let him or her know what you’re trying to accomplish. A huge reason people in Weight Watchers and other programmes succeed is due to the power of the group support.’
5. Letting the Hijackers Get to You: Is your vegan co-worker getting on your nerves about the amount of protein you eat? Is your Mum making you feel guilty for not trying her famous apple crumble? Virgin points out, ‘Even with the best of intentions, some people in your life will try to derail your success. You need to be crystal-clear from the beginning about your purpose, set inspiring goals, continually visualise them, and manage your success. Don’t let the negativity dominate, and if you feel like someone’s intentionally trying to sabotage your success, call them out on it.’
6. Ignoring the Basics: ‘Every eating plan contains a blueprint to provide the nuts and bolts that help you to achieve your success,’ says Virgin. ‘You might be tempted to skip to the more advanced parts of the programme, mix or match programmes, or otherwise avoid what seems obvious and commonsense…Start with the foundation and build from there.’