’s Dieters Essay, Research Paper
Year after year, while everyone is focused on the holiday season, many people are also obsessed
with ?New Year?s resolutions?. The most commonly heard resolution, is the famous: ?lose
weight, get in shape? line that we have all heard, and many have said, in the past. In order to
achieve this goal, one needs a more stable reason than a party hat and confetti for one night.
Anyone that truly wants to change their diet and/or fitness level needs to be ready for a
long, challenging lifetime of effort. In order to save everyone some time and disappointment, I
have classified these ?Resolutioners? into different categories that determine their success. Now,
your job is to decide which category you fall under, as a result you can decide whether your goals
are realistic and worth the effort. Consider your own capabilities and where they fall in the
following categories:
The ?one month/20 pounds die-hard? dieter
This is the most common among the ?New Year?s dieters?. This person will give too
much effort in the beginning to continue this new lifestyle. They are willing to decrease their
intake of food and increase their activity level; however, after the first month of compliments and
fast losing goes by, they will gradually find their way back to the Hostess aisle at the local
supermarket. This type of person need not waste their time effort and/or money on this
?resolution?. After all, a New Year?s resolution is supposed to be a goal for at least one year; not
just a month.
The ?I am going to do it this year? dieter
This person is the type of person that repeats themselves every year, when it?s time to give
their resolutions. They seem to ignore the fact, year after year, that nothing has changed in the
fitness and nutrition world. In order to change their appearance and gain a more healthy lifestyle,
they will still be forced to get off the couch and put away the Lay?s potato chips. In the same
respect as the previous category, this person might as well ?quit talking and keep chewing?;
because with this attitude, they are headed in the wrong direction down a one-way street.
The ?I can?t lose weight? dieter
This person can also be classified as the ?50/50? dieter, because they have a 50% chance
of success. Despite their many efforts and change in lifestyle, this person is im
and discouraged by the numbers that appear on the scales. After being mislead, this person
usually gives up or falls into a depression that leads to binge eating. However, this person has
some hope, because of their willingness to put forth an effort. The one factor that determines
whether this person will succeed is whether or not they can overcome the setback. My advice to
this person is go ahead and spend the extra money to hire a personal trainer or join a fitness
program. Not only can these two aspects help keep you motivated, but they can also monitor
your progress.
The ?I refuse to quit? dieter
This type of person is the one type of dieter that is guaranteed to gain the progress they
intend to gain. Whether their plans are to lose ten pounds or one-hundred pounds, they will be
successful. They may be the type of person that has made this resolution before; however, they
are now to the point of being so fed up with their physical condition, nothing will stop them now.
The ?over do it? dieter
Their are not many people that will fall under this category; however, it is more common
than most of us realize. These people are in this category, because they will take their
?resolution? too far. Eventually these people will stop living their lives in order to make progress
at an unhealthy pace. They will skip social events, work, and/or school in order to make a trip to
the gym. This person will also attempt to live on fewer calories than the starving children in
Ethiopia. Not only will they damage their bodies, but they will more than likely have to start over
again; that is, if they actually live through this behavior.
Now, there are always those who succeed in their New Year?s resolutions and completely
change their lifestyles; however, I feel it is my duty to warn you that most do not. The majority of
those will find themselves headed in the direct opposite direction and gaining instead of losing.
This need not scare you off, though. Now you have been warned, therefore you know what it
takes to succeed in this goal. If you feel like you can handle the pressure, then all I can do is wish
you luck. If not, then my advice is to continue living your life the way you have in years past.
This may not be your healthiest choice, but why should you risk wasting time, money, and
happiness?