Rickard Gustafsson | Sunday, 29 December 2024
It’s that time of year again when we tell ourselves—and sometimes others—that it’s time to improve our lives. Lose some weight, stop smoking, become a better fly caster—whatever it may be. However, achieving these goals often requires something challenging: genuine change.
Let’s start with one of the most common resolutions: working out and losing weight. Losing weight is one thing; keeping it off is another. To truly succeed, you need to understand that a lasting change is necessary. Jumping on a fad diet for a while, failing to stick to it, and then returning to old habits won’t lead to lasting results. Most countries have a food authority that offers helpful guidelines for healthy eating. For example, in the U.S., you can find such guidelines at www.dietaryguidelines.gov.
Try this: write down everything you eat over a week and compare it to these guidelines. This exercise can help you see how far you are from a healthy diet—or might even inspire better eating habits simply by holding yourself accountable. Alternatively, hire a dietitian. You’ll likely do the same food journaling exercise but with the added benefit of professional guidance and greater accountability, which can lead to better results.
The Working Out Part
Start with something manageable. Jumping from no activity to an elite-level athlete's schedule isn’t practical or sustainable. I’ve written about a reasonable approach here: Strength and Mobility for General Wellbeing and Fly Casting. Combine that with daily brisk walking, and you’re off to a great start.
If you can, consider finding a personal trainer. Take time to shop around for a trainer who can set you up for long-term success. Avoid trainers who focus on punishing workouts every session—they’re not good for sustainable progress. Signing up for a few sessions with a trainer adds accountability, which can be a game-changer in building new habits.
Stopping Smoking
For those looking to quit smoking (or similar habits), there are programs and trainers for that as well. For example, a friend of mine attended a one-day course to quit snus—a Swedish form of tobacco—and it worked for them.
Encouragement
Here’s some encouragement: you don’t need to be fit to hire a personal trainer. In fact, it’s the other way around. If you’re unfit and want to change that, a personal trainer can be invaluable. I know this from experience. When I was very unfit, I was hesitant to see a trainer because I thought I was “too far gone.” However, I went anyway, and after working with that trainer for almost a year, I lost a significant amount of weight—and I’ve kept it off for over ten years.
The same principle applies to seeking coaching in other areas of life. If you truly want to improve, a good coach is often the best shortcut to success.
Cheers,
Rickard
PoD: My dog as a reindeer—completely unrelated, but adorable nonetheless.