(And How to Stop Self-Sabotage for Good)
Every January, weight loss motivation is high.
Plans are made, routines feel manageable, and this time genuinely feels different.
And then February arrives.
Research consistently shows that the majority of January weight loss resolutions are abandoned by the end of February. Motivation fades, life gets busy, and many people quietly assume they’ve failed — again.
But here’s what most people are never told:
This pattern isn’t about willpower. It’s about self-sabotage and it’s incredibly common.
85% of People Self-Sabotage Their Weight Loss
You can be doing everything right.
Feeling in control.
Seeing progress.
And then suddenly, old habits return seemingly out of nowhere.
In my work over many years, and through the Diet Dossier research that formed the foundation of my Sunday Times bestselling book, The Weight’s Over — 85% of people identified self-sabotage as the main reason they couldn’t sustain weight loss.
Not because they didn’t know what to eat.
Not because they lacked discipline.
But because something deeper kept pulling them back.
If this sounds familiar, the video will explain why this happens and how to stop it from repeating. This video premieres tonight at 6 pm!
Click “Watch on Youtube” and then notify me to be reminded at 6!
I release new videos every week, so make sure you subscribe!
If You’ve Stayed on Track — This Matters Too
Before going any further, there’s something important to say.
If you’re reading this and thinking, “That hasn’t been my experience — I’m still going,” that’s not luck.
It means you’re breaking a pattern that stops most people in their tracks.
In both my clinical work and the research explored in my book, this is exactly what sustainable change looks like: not perfection, but steadiness. Not force, but a calmer relationship with food, choices, and yourself.
If you’re using Slimpod and finding that things feel more consistent, effortless, or less emotionally charged than in the past, that’s worth recognising.
You’re not just staying on track — you’re building the foundations of sustainable weight loss and that’s fabulous! Let me know how you’re doing below!
Self-Sabotage Is Not a Personal Failure
Sustainable weight loss isn’t about trying harder — it’s about understanding what’s really driving behaviour.
What looks like a loss of control is often the brain reacting to change.
Even positive change creates uncertainty. And the brain naturally prefers what feels familiar over what feels new — even when the familiar no longer serves you.
Understanding this single idea is one of the most important secrets of sustainable weight loss. When behaviour starts to make sense, self-criticism softens — and real change becomes possible.
Why Trying Harder Doesn’t Work
This is why self-sabotage can’t be solved with more discipline.
Discipline works at the conscious level, but the behaviours behind self-sabotage are driven elsewhere. Trying harder often increases pressure, which can actually strengthen the cycle rather than break it.
Sustainable weight loss isn’t about more effort.
It’s about changing how the system operates!
Join my video premier tonight!
In the video, you’ll discover:
- why motivation always fades
- why progress itself can trigger self-sabotage
- what’s happening in the brain when old habits return
- how sustainable weight loss becomes possible when you work with your brain, not against it
- And tips you help you take back control!
Join me on the Slimpod youtube channel at 6pm.
Click the video above and follow the instructions to be notified when the video is released!
One Last Thing
If the January-to-February cycle has repeated for years, it isn’t because you lack motivation or discipline.
And if it hasn’t repeated this year, take a moment to acknowledge that — because breaking long-standing patterns is exactly how sustainable weight loss is built.
Whether you’re just beginning to understand this or already experiencing it, the key isn’t willpower — it’s insight.
And once the system guiding behaviour changes, everything else becomes easier.
You don’t need to start again on Monday.
You can keep going — with confidence — starting today.
