Reflecting on the Old Year to Prepare for the New

In this article: 

• As the year comes to a close, take a few minutes to set yourself up for a healthier year ahead.
• Think about lessons you’ve learned and how you can apply them in the new year.
• Examples include taking small steps to create a big impact, asking for help, getting back on track quickly, and planning for treats in your regular routine.
• Lark can help you year-round with 24/7 coaching towards your health and weight loss goals.

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The new year may be around the corner, but there’s still time to make a difference in the story of the old year’s health journey. Take some time to reflect on your progress in the past year. In particular, identify what you learned and how you can carry that wisdom with you into the new year. Here are some common reflections and how they can help you start the year off strong. 

Small Steps Add Up

You may have heard this before, but maybe you finally believe it. Every choice you make affects your health and weight. Consistent choices add up to measurable and often impressive results, whether it’s packing your lunch more often instead of going for fast food, adding a short walk at lunchtime, or preparing vegetables once a week so they’re ready for you throughout the week. 

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Carry it with you into the new year: Identify one change you could make, and calculate how much it could add up to if you continue it for a year. For example, swapping a handful of carrots for a handful of potato chips just three times a week could save 300 calories a week, leading to a year-long weight loss of about 4 lb. 

Treats Are On the Menu

It’s unrealistic and unsustainable to eliminate all treats and indulgences, but there are different ways to handle this reality. Trying to avoid celebrations and favorite foods so that you can lose weight can lead to feelings of frustration and deprivation. Instead, it can be more sensible to allow for small, occasional treats. 

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Carry it with you into the new year. Think about which treats and occasions are important to you, and plan how you’ll fit them into your healthy lifestyle. You might, for example, be adamant about having birthday cake and enjoying a monthly night out with close friends. Plan what you’ll have on those special occasions, and stick to your usual healthy choices the rest of the time.

It’s Always a Good Time to Get Back on Track

How many times in the past year have you made one poor choice and let that throw off your day or week? “It doesn’t matter anymore; I already went off my plan” is a common thought. But it’s not true. It does still matter! The sooner you get back on track, the sooner you’ll feel like your capable, confident, and healthy self again.

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Carry it with you into the new year. Remind yourself often that every choice is important. It’s a good time to get back on track so that you can minimize any setbacks you may have had. 

It’s Good to Ask for Help

Not only is it okay to ask for help, but it’s a good thing! Here’s why. When you ask for help, you’re more likely to get what you need, whether it’s an extra hand with the kids, a ride to the gym, or someone to hold you accountable on your morning walks. 

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Furthermore, when you ask for help, you’re building connections. Now the person or people whom you asked for help are more willing to ask you for help. As time passes, you can work together to help each other and reduce the burden for all of you. 

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Carry it with you into the new year. Identify something that’s been challenging for you this year. Then ask for help accomplishing it. For example, if you’ve been having trouble fitting in an afternoon walk, see if someone else can watch your children while they’re at an afterschool activity. Then walk for 20-30 minutes. 

Mistakes Let You Learn

You’re going to make mistakes. You’ve probably made hundreds or thousands of mistakes in the past year. Every one of them is a learning opportunity, which means you might be very wise by now! Examples of mistakes in a healthy lifestyle journey might be forgetting to plan a healthy snack, staying up too late to be able to wake up for a morning workout, and leaving a bag of cookies in the pantry thinking that you’ll have the willpower not to eat them. Each of these choices is a learning opportunity and a chance for you to make a different choice next time.

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Carry it with you into the new year. Whenever you make a choice that wasn’t what you intended, try to learn from it. Identify what you chose, why you may have made that choice, and how you could prevent it next time.

Benefits Go Beyond the Scale

Why are you on a health and weight loss journey? Originally, it may have been to see a lower number on the scale. But after months or a year of living healthy, you may have noticed other benefits. Maybe you feel happier, stronger, more confident, or prouder of yourself. Maybe you have more energy to keep up while on family outings, or you’ve able to improve your blood work results or reduce your medication doses. 

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Carry it with you into the new year. Remind yourself often what your reasons are for making healthier choices. Pause to reflect on how far you’ve come, and what you’ve gained from your journey. Connect specific choices - like deep breathing - to positive results - like feeling less stressed. 

Plan for Success

Planning ahead lets you plan for success. It’s easier to make a healthier choice when you make it available and quick. Examples include having fresh vegetables and lean proteins ready for snacks and meals, keeping your walking shoes in the car or at the door so you can quickly get out for a brisk walk, and setting aside time in your calendar to prepare food, pack lunches, and get in a workout. 

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Carry it with you into the new year. Look ahead each week and identify your goals and challenges. Then schedule time to prepare. This might mean doing grocery shopping, prepping meals and ingredients, and planning your workouts so that when it’s time to eat and exercise, those activities take less time. 

How Lark Can Help

A healthy lifestyle comes from trying and learning, and Lark can help you learn new skills and make progress towards your goals. Your Lark coach is available 24/7 for encouragement, nutrition and physical activity coaching, and habit tracking. Lark can help you make healthy choices and establish habits that fit into your lifestyle so you can lose weight and keep it off with or without GLP-1 medications. 

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Click here to see if you may be eligible to join Lark today!

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