I get the mindset. You’ve likely planned a final feast for New Year’s Eve, bought a bunch of workout gear, and are secretly worried you’ll quit by mid-January. I spent my whole 30s stuck in that exact cycle.
I’m a Senior Manager in a high-stakes safety sector in the UK. Honestly, I was a total hypocrite for a long time. I’d never permit my staff to overlook a red flag at work, yet I was dismissing every alarm my own body was sounding. At 120kg, I was perpetually exhausted, surviving on coffee and convenience food just to finish my shifts.
The turning point wasn’t some miracle diet; it was the realization that “motivation” is a total myth. Motivation is just that temporary high you get when purchasing supplements. That spark vanishes the moment you have to wake up at 5 a.m. in the pouring rain.
What worked was managing my health with the same discipline I apply to my career. I didn’t hit the gym because I felt like it; I went because it was a non-negotiable appointment on my calendar. I didn’t log my food for enjoyment; I did it because effective project management requires data auditing.
The reality is that it’s dull. You’ll experience hunger. There will be mornings when your mind tries to talk you into staying under the covers. Refuse to bargain. You wouldn’t skip work just because you weren’t “in the mood,” so don’t treat your physical health any differently.
I dropped 35kg (about 6 stone) this past year by accepting the monotony and putting in the work behind the scenes. If a busy 40-year-old manager can pull this off, you certainly can. Forget the gimmicks, rely on the numbers, and simply stay consistent.
I absolutely love this! A year ago, I was 50 pounds heavier. This January, I’m focused on shedding the final bit of weight. I really needed to hear that while some days are tedious, it also brings a sense of liberation. For me, I’ve never felt more in command of my well-being. My mental relationship with food is more liberated than ever. Some days involve breaking old habits and discovering new things about my body and my potential. It’s honestly been totally worth the effort!
I appreciate this outlook. Our physical health is far more valuable than our employment, so it makes sense to handle it with the same level of professionalism, if not more! Thanks for sharing.
“You wouldn’t skip work just because you ‘weren’t in the mood’”
You’re giving me too much credit.