So we have reached the end of the year, congratulations on making it this far ?

For most of you it’s been epic. You have achieved more than you thought you ever would from a dieting point of view and are in a much better place than when the year started. If so, this post is NOT for you…

But for others it’s been a battle and you may even weigh more than 12 months ago and you feel as though you have been going wrong in circles and battling all year, for no progress, and if that’s you, then this post IS for you…

Do not be depressed or sad about another year past, there is nothing you can do about it, it’s behind you and finished with. Dwelling on what HAS been instead of analysing and learning from it is pointless and a waste of your energy.

What you can do though is have a think about WHY you have struggled this year. Where have things gone wrong, why have you NOT stuck to your diet, why have you not managed to be consistent, and why have you not got the results you wanted.

Well I can tell you what the problem WASN’T…

• It wasn’t because you didn’t know WHAT to eat
• It wasn’t because you didn’t know WHEN to eat
• It wasn’t because you didn’t know how to move more
• It wasn’t because you were force fed
• It wasn’t because you were ill
• It wasn’t because you were sad (or happy)

Plain and simple, the ONLY reason you failed to lose ALL your weight last year was this

YOU TRIED TOO HARD

That sounds ridiculous but follow me with this…

1. You want to lose LOADS of weight, as quick as you can
2. So you decide to go squeaky clean and cut out all treats, ‘junk’, processed food, alcohol, whatever in the mistaken belief that is what you need to do to lose weight, even though your plan told you that you could eat it
3. You stick to your hardcore super clean squeaky meaky diet for a few days but then because you have deprived yourself of the stuff that you actually ENJOY eating, you crave it
4. So you have a little bit (or a lot) but immediately think you have blown it, ruined the diet, bugger, balls, bollocks.
5. So you eat more, think what’s the point I have ruined the day/weekend anyway, “I will start again tomorrow/Monday”
6. In the intervening period you eat and drink more, get ALL the foods in that you have been depriving yourself of READY to ‘start again’ on the same path that ironically failed you first time round.
7. This cycle continues repeatedly, either causing you to lose NO WEIGHT ‘or’ GAIN WEIGHT because the periods of NOT DIETING are so excessive they outweigh the periods OF DIETING

And the cause of this was you trying to chase BIG NUMBERS on the scales, meaning that you had to deprive yourself of the stuff you actually normally enjoy eating, so it is INEVITABLE at some point that you WILL EAT THESE THINGS AGAIN, but if you have demonised them and classed them as FAT FOODS you are always going to have the same psychological problems, and will always end up going round in circles.

So on this Friday, just before we go into Christmas proper, have a think about how the past year has gone, think about how many times what I have said above has applied to you. 

Everything I have said is true, and you KNOW THAT, and it’s the number one reason why you have not been a HUGE SUCCESS this year (if you haven’t)

NEXT FRIDAY I am going to tell you (just in time for New Year) what you SHOULD BE DOING and how to combat the cycle above, but for now simply ponder on this, have it in the back of your mind while you are chowing down on your mince pies, because this coming year, it needs to be different, and I will tell you how next Friday.