Weight Loss in the New Year: 8 Sustainable Strategies That Work

Now that the decorations have been taken down and the holiday festivities have ended, it’s time to embrace the new year. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, build muscle, or improve your overall health in 2025, the best way to reach your goals is to make changes you can stick with. Forget the fad diets or 30-day workout challenges; they will undoubtedly have you back to your old ways by February. Instead, focus on building healthy habits to give you the long-term results you want. Here are our top strategies for keeping the weight off and staying on track in the new year.

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1. Don’t Completely Overhaul Your Diet

Contrary to popular belief, doing a 180 with your diet is not the answer. Radically changing your diet may work for a few days or weeks, but it’s not sustainable in the long run. Before you know it, you’ll be craving your old favorite foods and will be more likely to overeat. Overly restrictive diets often lead to binging and won’t allow you to stay on track. Instead, start by making small changes, like incorporating more colorful vegetables as often as possible. Small changes lead to small wins that build up over time and keep your momentum going. 

Another problem with changing your diet overnight is that drastically increasing fiber can cause abdominal distress and gas or bloating. Be kind to your microbiome by making small shifts that your body can adjust to. 

<div class="pro-tip"><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href=average-weight-loss-per-week>Average Weight Loss per Week: How to Lose Weight Safely</a></a>.</div>

2. Start Making Smoothies

Smoothies are one of the easiest ways to add more whole foods to your routine. Regardless of your preferences or goals, you can find many smoothie recipes that are right for you. Not only do smoothies allow you to get the protein, fiber, and healthy fats you need, but they are also super easy to make and can be stored overnight in the fridge to grab and go in the morning. 

While there are an endless number of smoothie recipes on the internet, make sure you’re following these guidelines:

• 20-30g protein from protein powder or Greek yogurt
• Healthy fats like nut butter or avocado
• Fiber from veggies, chia seeds, or flax seeds
• Opt for low-sugar fruits like blackberries, raspberries, or strawberries
• Use unsweetened milk

3. Salads For Lunch

Whether you are at home catching up with family or out socializing with friends, dinner is typically our most social meal. Conversely, lunch is usually squeezed between meetings, taken at our desks, or grabbed on the go. Because you’re less likely to be tempted by what others are having during lunch, it’s a great opportunity to eat clean and healthy. 

This year, commit to having salads for lunch. With the zillion combinations of veggies, protein, and salad dressings, the possibilities are endless, and your salads can be anything but boring. Eating clean at lunch will help keep your energy levels up all afternoon and give you peace of mind that you’re staying on track even if you decide to meet friends at a restaurant for dinner. 

The dressing is often the highest-calorie item (and the biggest source of hidden sugar) in a salad. Check the nutrition and ingredient labels for store-bought salad dressings and ensure you know what you’re getting. Olive oil with a squeeze of lemon and a dash of salt and pepper is always a quick and healthy choice.

4. Say No To Snacks

Snacks are inevitably the most processed and least nutrient-dense foods we consume. They are packaged, full of hidden sugars, and typically low in protein and fiber. Instead of snacking throughout the day, focus on eating balanced and satisfying meals. If you eat enough protein and fiber with your meals, you shouldn’t be hungry for at least 4 hours, so you won’t need to snack. Eating wholesome, healthy meals will keep you full and focused, so your mind isn’t going astray thinking about snacks. 

5. Always Be Prepared

We typically make the worst food choices when we’re hangry or in a rush. You can avoid this by planning ahead and thinking about your day. Do you have back-to-back meetings all afternoon? Will you be playing Uber driver to your kids for their after-school activities without time to eat? 

Having a healthy, sugar-free protein bar in your bag or the car is great for hunger emergencies. Shelf-stable foods like nuts are also good options for those days. Eating high-protein snacks will reduce your hunger hormones, keep you satisfied until your next meal, and keep you on track with your health goals. 

6. Set A Minimum For Movement

Work, family, and social commitments can tie up much of our schedules, leaving little time for self-care. Finding time to exercise often falls to the bottom of our to-do lists despite our best intentions. This year, commit yourself to a minimum amount of movement daily. Whether this is 10,000 steps, a 30-minute walk, or a 10-minute HIIT workout, make this a non-negotiable. 

People often set lofty fitness goals and quickly throw in the towel. Instead, determine a bare minimum amount of exercise you can do daily, and then give yourself bonus points for going above and beyond when you have the time. Setting minimums like this will help keep you grounded and focused on even your busiest weeks. 

7. Drink Up

Chronic dehydration is a growing problem that has a negative impact on weight loss, and other areas of your health like energy levels and even concentration. Ensure you drink adequate water throughout the day and replenish electrolytes lost through sweat. 

While drinking water is easy enough, it’s often overlooked. Things like buying a new pretty water bottle, setting a reminder to drink throughout the day, or using a water tracking app can be helpful. Try adding slices of lemon, sliced cucumbers, or even herbs like mint to spice things up and make you more inclined to fill up your cup.

8. Get Enough Sleep

Poor sleep is the biggest contributor to weight gain outside of diet and exercise. Lack of sleep wreaks havoc on your hormones, increasing your blood sugar levels and causing you to crave calorie-rich junk food. When you’re tired, your body recognizes that it needs quick energy, so you will naturally be drawn to simple carbs. Your decision-making skills are also altered, so you’ll have less willpower to turn down donuts in the break room or that candy on your coworker’s desk. 

To add insult to injury, staying up late increases the chances you’ll wander into the kitchen for a late-night snack. Do yourself a favor and put yourself to bed early. Your body and your brain will thank you for it. 

The Signos Way: A Blueprint for Reaching Your Health Goals

We invite you to learn more about setting and achieving health goals with our science-backed articles written from an expert perspective. Curious how long it takes to get fit again? Here’s what to know.

Healthy habits incorporate balanced nutrition, regular physical activity, stress management, and healthy sleep patterns. Learn more about these habits on Signos’ blog, and find out if Signos is a good fit for you by taking a quick quiz!

<div class="pro-tip"><strong>Learn More: </strong><a href=weight-loss-plateau>6 Best Ways Break a Weight Loss Plateau</a>.</div>