10 Reasons Not to Wait Until January 1st to Start Your Fat Loss Journey

We are about to enter the most wonderful time of the year, but it also comes with stress, busyness, and possibly a side of food anxiety.

When I talk to people about their fitness goals, they often tell me they want to "enjoy" the holidays and will focus on their fat loss goals on January 1. Many feel they don't have the energy, capacity, or time to focus on fat loss during these busy times. But they don't understand that being mindful of health and fitness during the holidays will give them the energy to thrive—despite the added stress of the season!

The big mistake is thinking fat loss requires a crazy new diet, heavy food restrictions, or an extreme exercise program that takes hours each day. Who has time for that during the holidays? No one!

Instead, fat loss can involve mindfulness, making the most of each exercise minute, and still enjoying food. The best time to start your fat loss goals is now.

10 Reasons NOT to Wait Until January 1 to Start or Continue Toward Your Fat Loss Goals

1. Get a Head Start
Starting now gives you a head start on your goals. By January 1, you'll already have progress under your belt, instead of starting from scratch. Ignoring your health and fitness over the next eight to ten weeks could mean starting in a worse place than you are today. If you approach the holidays with mindfulness and confidence, you'll build a strong foundation to reach even higher goals in the new year.

2. Avoid the January Rush
Gyms and fitness programs are packed in January. By starting early, you can avoid the overwhelm and establish your routine before the crowds hit. Research shows that many people start strong with New Year's resolutions, but a significant percentage quit early. Here are some key statistics:

• 80% Fail by February – Around 80% of New Year's resolutions fail by the second week of February (U.S. News & World Report).

• 23% Quit in the First Few Weeks – A Strava study found most people give up their resolutions by January 19, calling it "Quitter's Day."

• Less than 10% Succeed – Only about 9% of people who set resolutions feel successful by the end of the year (University of Scranton).

If you've set New Year's resolutions before and haven’t succeeded (join the club!), let’s try something different this time. There is nothing special about January first; every day is a good day to start or start over. So what are we waiting for?

3. Maintain Consistency
The holidays are busy, but starting now helps build consistent habits. You'll learn to fit fitness and healthy eating into your life—even during hectic times. Success toward your goals is more about skills, abilities, and habits than motivation or discipline.

Think about it: if you wait until things calm down, what happens when life inevitably gets busy again? By starting now, you build the skills to maintain your healthy lifestyle, no matter how crazy life gets.

I like to think of health and fitness as a dial instead of an on/off switch. You can dial it up or down depending on what’s going on in your life. If you flip the fitness switch off whenever life gets busy, you'll never make lasting progress.

4. Less Stress, More Success
Waiting until January adds pressure to succeed quickly. Starting now allows for a slower, more sustainable approach, reducing stress. Instead of viewing the New Year as the only time for a fresh start, see every day as a new opportunity to take action toward your goals.

Adopt a mindset of progress over perfection. Remember, consistently good is better than occasionally perfect. This combats the all-or-nothing thinking that kills progress.

5. Small Wins Build Momentum
Seeing small improvements during the holiday season builds confidence and motivates you to keep going into the new year. Non-scale victories like more energy, feeling stronger, better-fitting clothes, and improved sleep are all signs of progress.

6. Control Holiday Indulgences
Being mindful now allows you to enjoy holiday treats in moderation without guilt or falling off track completely. Break the diet mindset of heavy restrictions, which your brain will rebel against! Instead, practice mindfulness with your eating: slow down, enjoy treats in moderation, watch portion sizes, and fuel your body with the nutrients it needs to perform at its best.

During the season, you will have plenty of opportunities to practice and hone your nutrition skills. Your newly acquired habits will make nutrition feel easy when life slows down in January.

7. Strengthen Your Immune System
Staying active and eating well support your immune system, especially during cold and flu season. When you are healthy, you’ll feel better than ever and can enjoy the season the most.

8. Beat the Holiday Weight Gain
It's common to gain weight over the holidays. Treats are everywhere, and most people struggle to maintain their weight. Starting your fat loss journey now can help prevent holiday weight gain and keep you progressing towards your goals.

9. Boost Your Energy
Exercise and balanced nutrition boost your energy levels, helping you power through holiday errands, events, and responsibilities. If you want to feel more energized, fueling your body properly and staying active makes all the difference.

10. Start Fostering a Healthy Mindset
All-or-nothing thinking—believing that if you can’t do everything perfectly, you might as well not do anything—often sabotages our efforts. If we start this mindset in December, thinking we'll hit the reset button in January, it’s unlikely to magically change. Progress is about consistency, not perfection, so making small, manageable steps now builds the healthy habits you’ll need in the long term. Why wait?

Many people think postponing their health goals will let them 'enjoy' the holidays more, but in reality, prioritizing fitness and well-being can boost your energy, reduce stress, and make the season more enjoyable than ever.

Where to Start?

Are you thinking, “But Lea, where do I start? It’s so confusing! All the information I see online contradicts itself!”

The truth is, it’s pretty simple. It takes work, of course, but the concepts are easy to grasp and apply. It takes some focus, attention, and action on your part.

First, it starts with your mindset (you can't skip this part!). Then, we address nutrition, breaking free from the diet culture many of us grew up with.

Next, we talk about exercise. You may have heard myths like burning as many calories as possible, "no pain, no gain," and if you're not sore, you're not working hard enough. That’s not sustainable for long-term fat loss. We’ll focus on maximizing every exercise minute to get the best results. It’s the boring stuff, done consistently over time, that works.

Finally, we cover lifestyle factors: how does this fit into your life? How do you manage stress? Are you sleeping enough to optimize fat loss? Are you allowing your body time to recover?

If you want to learn more, join me for a FREE workshop to help you navigate the holiday season while staying on track with your fat loss goals—without missing out on the fun! In this workshop, you’ll learn practical strategies for enjoying your favorite holiday foods, managing stress, and staying focused on your health. We’ll cover sustainable nutrition tips, mindset shifts for long-term success, and simple ways to keep active during the busiest time of the year. Don’t just survive the holidays—thrive through them! You will enjoy the holidays when you feel your best!

Do you know someone who might benefit? It helps me when you share with your friends and followers.

Questions? I’d love to help.

Coach Lea

I am a master health coach, personal trainer, and running coach, dedicated to helping YOU get strong, body and mind!

@fortworth_trainer

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Time-Saving Meal Prep Ideas To Fuel Your Active Lifestyle

I hope my friends in the US had a healthy and happy Thanksgiving. With that big meal (and hopefully the leftovers, too) behind us, it can benefit us to think about how we can plan our meals to make the rest of this year a bit easier amid the holiday chaos.

Picture this: No more frantic, last-minute decisions about what to eat—no more succumbing to the siren call of unhealthy takeout after a long day. Instead, envision a life where your meals are planned and prepped, aligning with your fitness goals and lifestyle—no matter how busy you are!

I used to think that meal prep was for those other people who have their life together—really together. You know the type; they make their bed daily, wouldn't dream of letting the dust settle on the baseboards, and handcraft Pinterest-worthy decorations for parties. In other words, people who are nothing like me. 

I was wrong. Meal prep doesn't necessarily mean spending an entire afternoon cooking seven perfectly portioned chicken breast and steamed broccoli (read: bland) meals frozen in plastic containers like those social media moms would have you believe. It doesn't mean preparing the same healthy food (you don't love it) for seven days straight. 

I thought meal planning was another activity to add to my ever-growing list of things to do; what I missed was it reduced stress in the week and made things easier in the long run. When I did a little planning and prep up front, I could reach for healthy foods more conveniently instead of hitting the drive-through or ordering takeout whenever I was too tired to cook (aka all the time).

Meal planning and prep can be as simple as cooking protein (such as chicken or turkey) in bulk for the week. It can mean getting a healthy meal delivery service, buying a rotisserie chicken and frozen veggies from the grocery store to use throughout the week, or doubling up on a dinner recipe so you have leftovers for lunch the next day. It doesn't have to be time-consuming or complicated; it just takes a bit of planning.

Meal planning and prepping is a habit and a skill. Is it your routine to plan meals or grab fast food on the go? Do you often feel too tired to think about it and want it to be easy? Do you have good intentions about eating healthy meals, but life gets busy, and you lack the energy? Join the club!

Developing the habits and skills around meal prep and planning will help you make eating healthier easier in the long run! 

Meal Planning:

• Set Realistic Goals:

• Start small. Most people will get overwhelmed if they try to plan out every meal in advance for the next seven days. Perhaps start with planning healthy breakfasts. Remember our protein lesson? Can you hard boil some eggs or prepare overnight oats with Greek yogurt to make a protein-rich breakfast easier? Small steps are the best way to move forward. Once breakfast prep is a habit, begin thinking about lunch or dinner.

• Create a Weekly Schedule:

• Loosely plan your meals for the week ahead to reduce the stress of deciding what to eat daily. Cultivate a habit of spending ten minutes and making a rough draft for the upcoming week. It doesn't have to be perfect or exact, but mapping out a generalized plan can go a long way.

• Balanced Meals:

• Aim for balanced macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) in each meal. Start by asking yourself, what will my protein be for the meal? How can I add veggies, whole grains, and healthy fats?

• Snack Smart:

• Plan for healthy snacks to curb hunger between meals. Opt for options like fruits, portioned nuts, yogurt, cut-up veggies, homemade granola, or protein balls, so you're not heading to the vending machine to satisfy your cravings.

TIME-SAVING MEAL PREP

• Batch Cooking:

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A post shared by Fort Worth Trainer Lea Genders (@fortworth_trainer)

• Try cooking a couple of pounds of chicken (or your choice of protein) at once. I like to shred and use it in meals all week, such as salads, bowls (think Chipotle burrito bowls made at home), wraps, tacos, or sandwiches. 

• I like to boil chicken and shred it in the cake mixer while still warm. Use or freeze the leftovers.

• Buy a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and use it in a couple meals for the week

• Prep side dishes in advance:

• Wash, peel, and chop vegetables in advance. Store them in airtight containers to quickly add them to salads, stir-fries, or omelets. (protip: buy pre-chopped veggies to save time)

• Bake or boil potatoes for several meals at once.

• Batch cook rice or quinoa in advance.

• Plan for leftovers:

• When cooking dinner, prepare extra portions in advance to help ensure you have healthy options available even on your busiest days. You and your family can eat leftovers for lunches or other meals. 

• Use meal delivery services:

1. You don't always need to do everything yourself. Research a healthy meal delivery service when you are too busy to prepare yourself.

   1. https://www.freshnlean.com/fitness-meal-delivery/

   2. https://www.factor75.com/pages/meal-delivery

• Buy Frozen

1. Frozen meals, vegetables, stir-fry, and meats can be quick and healthier than fast food. Don't let perfect get in the way of good enough. Any better choice is to progress in the right direction.

Quick and Healthy Recipe Ideas:

• Salad Jars:

• Layer salads in mason jars for a portable, mess-free lunch. Include a variety of colorful vegetables, protein, and a healthy dressing.

• Grilled Chicken and Veggies:

• Marinate chicken breasts in advance, grill them, and pair them with roasted (or frozen mixed) vegetables for quick and nutritious dinners.

• Overnight Oats:

• Combine oats, Greek yogurt, and your choice of fruits in jars. Let them sit overnight for a ready-to-eat high-protein breakfast.

• Stir-fry:

• Batch prepare stir-fry with lean protein, vegetables, and a simple sauce. Serve over rice or quinoa.

• Slow Cooker

1. Add meat, vegetables, and potatoes to a slow cooker in the morning to cook all day and then eat for several meals during the week. (Protip: if you get bored with the same meal multiple times in a row, freeze the extras and eat the following week instead of the next day's meal)

• Smoothies:

• Frozen mixed fruit and protein powder and blend with liquid for a quick breakfast. Get creative with ingredients; click on the image to view my blog post for more ideas.

• No protein powder? Mix spinach, bananas, and plain Greek yogurt for a protein shake on the go.

Developing healthy eating habits and meal prep skills takes time, so start small and gradually incorporate these tips into your routine. Considering your current lifestyle, which of the above ideas is most practical to implement? Start with something so easy you can't fail, then build on your success. Try one strategy; if it doesn't work for you, move on and try something else, but smaller. There is no failure, only feedback. There are multiple ways to get it right! Adjust the plan as needed based on your preferences and lifestyle!

I’d love to hear about your meal prep ideas!

Lea

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Salad jars for lunch in the office.

Questions? I’d love to help.

Coach Lea

Explore more blog posts here…