New Year New Year New You Weight Loss -Our Top Tips

For 2024, it was predicted around 74% of Australians set a New Year's Resolution and with 2025 on our doorstep, it's likely many more Australians will do so!

And we can bet you that out of a lot of people who set resolutions, some will be related to health! This might even be relatable for you! With a lot of extra calories accumulated around Christmas time, weight loss could also be a major goal for the year ahead.

If you're thinking about a New Year New You Weight Loss goal, you've come to the right place. Surprisingly, many people who jump on the Happy New Year weight loss bandwagon right often end up gaining a TON of weight due to FAD diets and unhealthy ways to lose weight. 

For weight loss to be sustainable, you need to focus on the small wins. Today uncover our top tips on weight loss for the new year.

Basic weight loss fundamentals explained 

Look, we’re going to be straight up here, scrap any weight loss diet. There’s no such thing, everything in terms of food and beverages marketed for weight loss is a myth. 

It’s pretty simple: you must be burning more calories than you consume.

In other words, Regular physical exercise + less calories = weight loss. 

Also, it’s important to know your basal metabolic rate, as this can help you understand the minimum calorie intake to support body functions and how much of a calorie deficit is needed for weight loss. 

You can learn how to calculate that here. 

And, of course, dropping the carbs, eating more protein, lifting weights, running, sleeping well, and many more things can help contribute to long-term weight loss—more on this below. 

Why set resolutions surrounding weight loss for the new year?

Before jumping into our top tips, let’s quickly share why setting weight loss goals can be good:

• Fresh start: This can help you break free from unhealthy habits and opt for healthier choices
• More motivation: Sticking to a weight loss resolution may help you feel more motivated towards achieving other goals.
• Sets a healthy tone for the year: Entering 2025 with a greater commitment towards weight loss can set a good tone for the months in the following year. 
• Supports other goals: If you have other long-term goals for the new year, weight loss goals may also help support other health goals, such as increasing physical activity, competing in races, and more. 

10 Top tips for New Year New Year Weight Loss

Although we did explain before that weight loss comes from a higher calorie expenditure as opposed to intake, here are some additional top tips to help support your goals:

1. Aim for lighter loads

Have you heard the phrase "eat everything in moderation"? Well, there's science to it. Research shows it takes 15-20 minutes for your brain to acknowledge that your stomach is full. In fact, a famous Confucian Japanese teaching known as Hara Hachi Bu says, "Eat until you're 80% full." 

We highly recommend it. Even just using smaller plates or putting less weight on your fork or spoon can help you eat more slowly and feel full, ultimately helping cut down your weight and support weight loss. 

2. Make nutrition your best friend

While we're big advocates of fitness and going after your goals, we also suggest you zone in on your nutrition. Remember, the key here is DEFICIT! To support your new year's goals, cutting calories by decreasing food intake is more sustainable than increasing physical exercise to achieve weight loss goals.

When you depend too much on increasing exercise, the results can backfire, stimulating hunger hormones, causing you to feel hungrier than before, and potentially binging. 

3. Focus on smaller goals 

While it's good to have long-term goals, i.e. lose (X) kg for 2025, small goals are often better to help you stay on track. Try to set small goals that focus on incremental changes, helping you stay on track throughout the year. Here are some examples:

• Remove processed food from your kitchen
• Eat out once a week
• Meal prep for the week ahead
• Drink 3 litres of water every day

These are just a few ideas to get you started, which can play a larger supportive role towards your weight loss.

4. Cut out the alcohol 

Did you know a lot of alcohol has a high-calorie content? It's true! Going out with a couple of drinks can easily add up the calories, at least 500, on top of your daily intake. It's not just that, but the days following with brain fog, fatigue and impaired sleep may hinder your weight loss goals and performance in the gym. 

If you find yourself in a social situation where others are drinking, opt for non-alcoholic cocktails, beer or sparkling water! However, if you do want a drink, think about low-calorie alcohol options like vodka, soda and tequila. 

5. Track your progress

There are many reasons why so many people fall off the weight loss bandwagon, and one of the main ones is not being consistent. Tracking your progress, i.e., your eating habits, exercise, and sleep, in a journal can help you stay accountable towards your goals. 

Partly because, when you keep a record, you have a greater awareness of what you're eating and the exercise habits behind them. It can also help you identify patterns that may slow your efforts, i.e. emotional eating, inactivity and supporting accountability. Also, it helps you become conscious of your daily behaviour and what you need to modify to hit your goals.

Pro Tip: Calorie trackers like My Fitness Pal can help get you on track towards your goals. 

6. Have accountability partners 

Getting your friends, family, and coworkers on board may help you stay on track with your weight loss. Whether that's joining you for certain workouts, accountability check-ins, or even providing emotional support, it can go a long way. In addition, committing to a personal trainer or a group class can help you stay accountable instead of doing it solo.

7. Get a good sleep 

On average, you should get 7-9 hours of sleep every night. Consistent good sleep is crucial to regulating your hormones that impact hunger and appetite. If you don't get enough sleep, your metabolism can become affected, making it difficult to burn calories and hindering your goals. 

Pro Tip: To help you get a consistent good sleep, try going to bed at the same time every evening, reducing caffeine intake, and limiting heavy meals in the evening. Whenever possible, also try to limit screen time for a few hours before bed! 

8. Increase your protein intake 

Increasing your protein consumption may help you with weight loss goals, regulating specific hormones and making you feel fuller for longer. While protein ratios can differ according to training and lifestyle, here is an average rule to base on:

• Males: 0.84kg x per kg of body weight.
• Females: 0.75g x per kg of body weight.

Remember: Protein ratios can also vary according to age and pregnancy, so you may want to speak to a nutritionist for more information. You can get a lot of protein from your food; however, if you struggle to find the right intake, why don't you try taking protein powder during the day or after training?

9. Exercise 

Yes, we're well aware of mentioning exercise earlier when talking about New Year's weight loss tips, but let's go over the essentials. It may sound like a no-brainer, but exercise plays an essential role in burning calories, kickstarting the metabolism, and helping preserve muscle burn. It can also help induce hormones, making you feel good and preventing you from indulging.

10. Hydration is key 

We don't need to tell you how important it is to drink water every day. But we will say that staying hydrated can have a major impact on your health. It can actually speed up your metabolism, supporting calorie burn.

Water also helps act as a natural appetite suppressant, filling your stomach and allowing you to feel fuller with reduced calorie intake. It also supports digestion, helping you break down food and absorb nutrients more effectively; it helps break down food and supports weight management.

Final thoughts

Overall, if you’re thinking about setting a New Year, New You Weight Loss goal, make sure it’s sustainable and not a quick fix. Setting small goals is often better than one huge one, as they can help you stay on track and complement other areas of your health. 

Try not to follow a specific weight loss diet. It’s better to ditch FADs and opt for healthier, natural, and nutrient-dense food to support your body. Remember, when looking to achieve weight loss for the new year, you must have more calories burned than in; you have to be in a deficit. 

To help you stay on track for your new year new you weight loss goal try to aim for lighter loads, make nutrition your best friend, stay hydrated and exercise. 

Another essential element is also getting consistent sleep! See our article to learn why sleep is important for muscle gain and fat loss.