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For a lot of people, the new year is a great time to start something new – like a new diet. I personally don’t think this is the best approach. Here’s why.
New Year’s resolutions are notoriously short.
Don’t shoot me for this observation. I totally understand that this varies from person to person. However, as a general rule, my own personal experience leads me to believe that the majority of New Year’s resolutions made fall short of lasting the duration of the month year. I hypothesize that resolutions made at another time of year are stronger than those made on the first of January because of mental association. In plain English, if you start a new way of eating on December 10th, my guess is that you’re more likely to carry through with it long-term than you will be if you start on January 1st because January 1st = New Year’s resolution = fail. It’s a mind thing.
Your health should be more important to you than weight loss, and health is a journey.
What’s your purpose in dieting? Is it just to lose weight? Or are you more concerned with your health in general? I hope the latter is true, and if it is, Trim Healthy Mama would be a perfect fit for you! (You can go to this page to see my quick synopsis of the plan and find other helpful links.)
If you want to start a healthy journey, why wait until January 1? Isn’t your health more important than that? Start today!
Any step in the right direction is progress – why wait?
Sure, you might not totally understand everything, and you’ll make mistakes at first, but that’s no reason to sell yourself short of all the baby steps you can make now! Besides, if you don’t start now, you might never start (and what good will that do you?)!
As someone who has lived with obsessive compulsive disorder, please take my advice and don’t wait until you have all your ducks in a row to start something life-changing. It’ll never happen. For a long time, I lived life waiting for perfection, and that’s no way to live because you don’t have a life. Start now, eat your mistakes (literally, in this case!), and make progress! Don’t wait till you understand everything or have all the ingredients.
A concrete beginning precedes a concrete end.
A diet starts with a bang and ends with a fizzle; a healthy eating lifestyle is comprised of baby steps that gradually lengthen and never stop.
2016 diet enthusiasts, don’t let me discourage you!
Are you going to start Trim Healthy Mama tomorrow, January 1st, 2016? Good for you! Go out there and prove me wrong! But why not take one baby step today, December 31, 2015?
PS – this also applies to those of you who are waiting to jump back on the wagon…
I’m starting a mini-series of hopefully-helpful posts about how I do Trim Healthy Mama. As I post them, they’ll appear on this page, so bookmark it for future reference. The most surefire way to never miss a post is to subscribe via email, which you can do in the sidebar to your right (or scroll down to the bottom of the page if you’re on mobile).
And you know, this doesn’t just apply to health and diet. Is there a hobby you want to pursue, an item you want to check off your bucket list, a bad habit you want to kick, a life resolution you want to make? Start now for the glory of God! And…GO!
Comment below and tell me whether you agree with my philosophizing or not. 😉
J'Layne says
I’ve been following THM posts for almost a year. I’ve read the first book. I’ve marked my book and tabbed important chapters. I just don’t like putting meals together and so this all seems futile. I love directing people to your website, I’ve found it very helpful, but I haven’t actually started the journey. I can’t seem to justify purchasing the specialty items…the sugar replacements, flours, etc. I’ve never enjoyed cooking and thought maybe I could get into it by following this program. It hasn’t happened…I watch Youtubes of encouraging people sharing their ideas and meal planning. I get excited, make a list, then I freeze. I am 56 years old and I sometimes have issues about going places, I really think it’s hormonal imbalance. I JUST DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START.
Briana Thomas says
I’m sorry for your frustration! I hope you can find the courage soon to jump and just start. Just remember to give yourself plenty of grace and don’t make a big deal about getting everything perfect at first. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you’ll catch on!
You may be interested in checking out this sample menu I made up using recipes using ingredients that can be found at Walmart. You won’t need many special ingredients for it at all! https://www.briana-thomas.com/thm-sample-menu-walmart-edition/
J'Layne says
Aw, thank you for responding so quickly! I will definitely put this on my list and try this. I keep telling myself at least do one meal a day. This will give me a push. Thank you for your expertise and encouragement. Bless your heart!
Briana Thomas says
Yes, one meal a day is a great way to start! Blessings to you as you continue your journey. <3
Sue says
Taking some of the things you wrote a bit further (out), Briana, this is how I’m using THM. It might help someone feeling discouraged by a slow start. I started with a long FAST. I was podgy and generally not feeling well, so I decided I had nothing to lose except … fat. (Still made the dinner, but did not partake.) After some days the fat (and toxins, I believe) just started falling off. (Drank large amounts of pure water.) One day I knew it was time to stop. THEN I began choosing various THM recipes to feed myself. The beauty of this was that I STARTED from a position of victory, and just maintain it. This has been good for me in every way. (Can anyone say, “Praise the Lord !”).
I’ll be honest and admit that I have not studied ‘the book’ in detail, and could not define E, S, or Fuel Pull for you, so I call myself ‘thm Lite’ (if challenged !) However, the smoothies, frappa, chana dahl, THM stevia, ‘cheesecake berry crunch’ (yum), go down well. I no longer eat sugar, butter, and white flour ; the appetite is just not there.
So, for someone who wants quick results, doesn’t want to obsess about all the detail, and has a fair amount of self-control, my approach might just work. (Btw, I did that in July and I’m still feeling good. If I find myself getting a little podgy I simply cut back on the amount I’m ingesting.) All the best, ladies !
Amy@AtMulberryHill says
I, too, am looking forward to your posts. I will be back on the THM plan 100% for the coming months. I have been puttering around for a couple of years now, hoping for my last 10 lbs. to come off. But it’s time to dig in and stick to it even if the loss is extremely slow. Do you have any advice for when THM seems like it has stopped working? Other than keep on keeping on? My first 30 lbs seemed effortless with THM and then I hit a stall that didn’t budge for so long that I quit trying.
Anyway, I beg to differ with your hypothesis. For me, new beginnings are forgiving and motivating and I always tend to go for the first of something to begin anything, whether it’s the first of the year, the first of a month, or the first of a week. Today I plan to indulge one last time in things I love that are bad for me and after that, I’m diving in fully committed. 🙂
Briana Thomas says
I actually have a post coming out next Monday that contains some of my dos and don’ts for THM – many of which would be helpful for losing that last stubborn weight. 🙂
Tina Marmolejo says
This is definitely a confirmation. ? I actually found your blog thru THM. I started it in Aug of 2014. I didn’t feel like I was losing but my kids told me they could see a difference. Somehow I got off plan and just couldn’t get back on no matter how hard I tried. I finally just gave up the middle of last year and have been so discouraged. I know this way of life works, so I decided THIS MORNING I was going to message you and ask if you would help guide me back on plan. I’m really not sure what I was doing wrong other than maybe too many S meals and not waiting the full 3 hours (I would go ahead at 2.5 hrs sometimes when I was really hungry). Anyway, I’m going back to THM & not give up this time! I love your blog, both THM & spiritually. I’m going to follow your recipes and meal plans from the FB page also. Pray for me. ?? God bless you Briana! have a blessed New Year!
Briana Thomas says
That’s an awesome God-thing. 🙂 I’m proud of you for getting back up and deciding to move on. I’m going to email you about possibly helping me with a new post idea I’m working on that I think could be helpful for both of us.
Tamara Sanders says
Couldn’t agree with you more! I made this same observation last year about resolutions. And I’ve noticed that those who are wanting to lose weight verses those who are seeking to gain health tend to not be as successful either because of that ‘I want it now’ mentality and the ‘Well I’m not losing so I might as well quit’ mindset. Those seeking health seem to have more patience and desire to figure it out as they go and not let it beat them. At least that is what I have observed in myself and a few others I know. Very good article!
Briana Thomas says
Well, said – I completely agree!
Stephanie O. says
I look forward to you blog post, thank you for the inspiration! I agree to not waiting for Janurary 1st to start a new anything. I am starting a gratitude journal this year but actually started writing in it 2 days ago. Have a happy New Year?
Briana Thomas says
I love your gratitude journal idea!
Janie Kaminski says
I think you are correct about New Year’s resolutions. I started back in November thinking of what God would have me focus on this coming year. There is no time to waste in heavenly pursuits! Also, to better serve my Lord, I want a healthy body and THM has helped make that possible for my husband and myself. I introduced THM to my mother-in-law back in October and she is doing quite well. We are here visiting her in AZ and can see some changes in weight, attitude, and energy! PTL
Thank you for your part in providing helpful hints, wonderful recipes, and encouraging words. I have made a notebook for myself and mother-in-law of many of your recipes. Please keep them coming!
Janie
Briana Thomas says
I’m so glad the recipes are helpful! Blessings
Cheryl says
Really looking forward to this. Thank you for sharing all your wonderful recipes.
Mary Ann Kerr says
I got started in early December; went 3 weeks on the plan, feeling better, but the weight was not coming off. Read someone’s advise, not to look at the scale, so I’m not “tied” to the scale anymore 🙂 I am 63 years old and weight just doesn’t come off like it use to. I feel like I spend so much time planning and preparing I’m somewhat discouraged. My exact thoughts last week were” I wonder if there is a THM that is blogging her daily journey? That would be really helpful for me. I want to hear from those who have been sucessful with this.
I am enjoying your site, wonderful recipes and suggestions, Thank you.
Briana Thomas says
I’m glad the posts are helpful! Hopefully more of this type will be coming to you over the next couple of weeks.