6 New Year’s Resolutions That Will Help You Burn Fat

Every January, Americans decide this is their year for fat loss. One report shows that nearly 34 percent of those surveyed named “losing weight” as their top New Year’s resolution for 2024. 

However, “losing weight” is pretty vague. If you’ve resolved to lose weight in the coming year, it helps to get specific about which strategies you’ll use to reach your goal. 

“Focusing on losing fat can be helpful long term, as this goal will likely be measured in weeks, months, and years,” says Michael Hamlin, CSCS, the founder of EverFlex Fitness. However, breaking a fat-loss goal into more tangible, bite-sized goals is essential for success. “It’s much easier to focus on what you can do today,” Hamlin notes. All of those small steps add up to fat loss over time.

To that end, here are six New Year’s resolutions you can implement today that can help you reach your fat loss goal.

1. Eat More Protein

As far as macronutrients go, protein may reign supreme for fat loss. 

One research paper reveals that eating more than the recommended amount of protein — roughly 48 to 56 grams of protein daily — promotes weight loss regardless of how many calories are consumed. 

The reason? Protein is more satiating than carbohydrates or fat, says Alix Turoff, RD, a registered dietitian and National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)-certified personal trainer. “Because protein is more satisfying and keeps you fuller longer, it can lead to eating fewer calories, which would ultimately lead to fat loss,” she says.

Plus, eating adequate protein can help you hold onto muscle mass when restricting calories, which can benefit your body composition (percentage of fat, muscle, and bone). Protein supports muscle repair and growth and, when combined with resistance training, will mean losing more fat and [maintaining muscle mass], Turoff explains.

Protein recommendations are all over the map. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says that exercisers who want to maintain or build muscle mass need approximately 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Divide your body weight in pounds by 2.2 to convert to kilograms and multiply that number by 1.2 to calculate your daily protein needs for weight loss.

“That said, most people would benefit from just trying to increase their current [protein] intake each day,” Turoff says. So, if you’re overwhelmed by your daily protein number, it may be easier to simply aim for 25-30 grams of protein per meal. 

2. Boost Fiber

Fiber — the part of plant foods that your body can’t digest — is key for fat loss, Turoff says.

There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber is found in oatmeal, chia seeds, lentils, and apples; it attracts water in the gut to form a gel, which slows digestion.

Meanwhile, insoluble fiber — found in whole wheat foods, leafy greens, and legumes — doesn’t dissolve in water. However, it adds bulks to your stool and helps food move through your digestive system.

Both fiber types help slow digestion, so you feel satisfied longer. “Foods that are high in fiber are more filling, which leads to a reduced appetite and lower overall calorie intake,” Turoff says. This can help you lose weight.

In fact, research suggests that simply getting more fiber in your diet can be an effective weight loss strategy. While people in one study lost more weight by matching their eating habits to the American Heart Association (AHA) dietary guidelines (nearly 6 pounds after 12 months), those who focused only on increasing their fiber intake still lost roughly 4.6 pounds after 12 months.

Fiber recommendations vary by age and sex, but in general, adults need 25 to 34 grams daily, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Dietary Guidelines.

3. Get More — and Better — Sleep

Research shows that people who consistently sleep fewer hours than recommended tend to have a higher body mass index (BMI, a measure of body fat) than those who get the recommended 7 to 9 hours per night. 

This may be explained by the effects of short sleep on eating habits. 

In one study, women with fewer quality hours of sleep on average had higher calorie intakes than those with better sleep quality. Women with poor sleep ate 500 to 800 more calories per day on average than their healthy-sleep counterparts, with more calories coming from sugar and unhealthy fats.

Most people need at least 7 or 9 hours of quality sleep a night for good health, per the HHS. Aim to get that as often as possible, and see how your healthy sleep habits impact your fat loss. 

4. Eat Mindfully 

When it comes to fat loss, how you eat may be just as important as what you eat. Mindful eating — which involves paying attention to your food and body-related sensations while you eat — can help you lose fat while developing a healthier relationship to food. 

“Mindful eating encourages you to become more aware of your hunger and satiety signals, which might help you eat in response to your body's actual needs rather than eating emotionally,” Turoff says.

Moreover, mindful eating involves slowing down and paying attention to whether you're full or still hungry, helping you avoid eating past the point of fullness, Turoff says. This can help you cut down on unnecessary calories, which can encourage fat loss. 

In fact, mindful eating strategies have proven to be just as effective for weight loss as conventional diet programs, per a review of 10 studies.

“Slowing down is key when it comes to mindful eating,” Turoff says. To that end, get into the habit of setting aside time for meals rather than eating on the go or sitting at your computer. This way, you’ll focus on eating instead of replying to emails or driving to an appointment. 

5. Set a Cardio Goal 

While healthy eating habits play a major role in fat loss, combining smart nutrition strategies with regular cardio can set you up for success. 

In one study, overweight people who increased their physical activity levels and changed their diet were 17.5 times more likely to lose weight than those who made no changes. In contrast, those who made only diet changes were only 7.2 times more likely to lose weight.

“Cardio exercise helps burn calories, improves cardiovascular health, and can contribute to creating a calorie deficit necessary for fat loss,” Hamlin says. 

If you’re new to cardio, start by setting a cardio goal you know you can achieve. “If you don’t feel like you can handle a 20-minute run or walk, don’t even think about doing 20 minutes, as this may prevent you from even starting,” Hamlin explains. 

Instead, commit to walking for two minutes (or whatever duration feels effortless to you). “More often than not, people will feel like a two-minute walk wasn’t enough and they’ll keep going,” Hamlin notes. “This is the perfect mental space for building an exercise habit. They thought to themselves, ‘I want to exercise more’ without knowing it.” 

6. Build Muscle

Resistance training can also help you reach your fat loss goals. “While it may not burn as many calories as cardio workouts like high-intensity interval training, the long-term benefits for fat loss are significant,” Hamlin says.

Research confirms this: After reading through 116 research articles, the authors of a systematic review and meta-analysis concluded that resistance training and calorie restriction is a winning weight loss combo for people categorized as overweight and obese. 

Moreover, a study in older adults with obese BMIs found that those who performed four weekly strength workouts for 18 months lost more fat than those who didn’t exercise and those who did only aerobic exercise (about 18 pounds versus 10 pounds and 16 pounds, respectively). All groups followed the same diet.

Why is strength training so effective? One word: Muscle. 

“I always tell my clients that weight training is like building a bigger engine on a car,” Hamlin says. “The more muscle mass we have, the more calories we need to maintain that mass.” 

In other words, muscle causes you to burn more calories even at rest. 

According to a review, 10 weeks of resistance training may add roughly 3 pounds of muscle, increasing your resting calorie burn by 7 percent and leading to a loss of nearly 4 pounds of fat. However, it’s unclear how many strength sessions you’d have to do per week to see these results or how they might vary by age or sex.

Still, the HHS recommends doing two full-body strength sessions per week for overall health, which is a good minimum to aim for. For faster gains, Hamlin suggests resistance training three or four days a week. Remember: Allow the muscles you worked at least 48 hours of rest before targeting them again.

 

Editorial Sources & Fact-Checking

• 2024 New Year’s Resolutions: Nearly Half Cite Fitness As Their Top Priority. Forbes Health. November 15, 2023.
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• Leidy HJ, et al. The Role of Protein in Weight Loss and Maintenance. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. June 2015.
• Ma Y et al. Single-Component Versus Multicomponent Dietary Goals for the Metabolic Syndrome. A Randomized Trial. Annals of Internal Medicine. February 2015. 
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• Dietary Guidelines for Americans: 2020-2025. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). 
• Healthy Living: Get Enough Sleep. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). August 4, 2023.
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