May I start this blog by wishing you all a very healthy and happy New Year. May this be the year that all our dreams come true. I hope you've all had a fantastic Christmas and New Year with Santa and the scales being kind to you. Once again, I was ill over Christmas with this stupid flu virus that I just can't shake so I decided to eat and be merry.

I would deal with the consequences in the New Year. I'm very pleased to say that I only gained 3.5lb over the 2 weeks. I was expecting it to be more so I'm pleased that it was only 3.5lb. I think to be honest, by the time New Year came round, I was fed up of eating rubbish and just wanted to get back onto the eating plans so I didn't feel as lethargic and bloated.

How did you all do? If you did gain, don't worry about it. There are so many of us who have gained so you're not alone. It's all about picking ourselves up and moving on from it. Don't give yourself a hard time over it otherwise you will give up. Don't look for reasons or ways you could have done better, just move on and forget about it. That's the past and it's the future that counts.

Christmas and New Year happen once a year. You can't avoid it unless you go into hibernation, but you can enjoy it. It's all about having the positive mental attitude to get back on the right track. I know I've said it before but, would you really avoid a family wedding or a birthday night out just to stop yourself from gaining lbs? If the answer is yes, then you're setting yourself up to fail. You'll be miserable and will probably eat because you're unhappy. It's a vicious circle. I know because I've been there. Why not go out, enjoy yourself and lose the couple of lbs you gained the following week. I guarantee you'll gain more weight by depriving yourself of those enjoyable events.

I've set myself a goal to lose at least 4lb next week. If I do it then fantastic, if I don't, it doesn't matter. I'm not going to lose heart over my weight loss or gains that I have in 2013. I let things get on top of me in the latter months of 2012. This year I'm going to keep on going and for once I'm going to focus on myself. I'm going to get closer to my goal and my dream is going to become a reality. Who is with me on this journey?

What are your New Year Resolutions?

How long did your resolutions last in 2012? Some people don't make it through the first day let alone the first month. Why not make a difference this year and set resolutions that you will be able to keep. I've decided that I will concentrate on myself and I won't let anything knock my confidence. I have been reading on the Slimming World Website that many of us make the mistake of making resolutions that are too ambitious to start with.

Some people decide they are going to the gym every day in order to help them lose weight. Others give up smoking and some give up chocolate or alcohol. It's almost like they are setting themselves up to fail. We should be setting ourselves smaller goals that are more achievable. Why not say, I will go to the gym once a week for an hour and that way you can build up gradually to 2 or 3 times a week by the end of the year.

If you want to give up alcohol or chocolate, why not say, I will start off by only having 2 pieces of chocolate a week or 1 bottle of wine a week?

If you're new to exercise, why not start off by going for a walk short walk on your lunch hour twice a week until you can realistically build up to more. Also replace the words "I should", "I must" to "I want". For example, I want to go to the gym once a week. rather than I must go to the gym. The power in that change can make all the difference to success or giving up thinking you've failed. Also planning ahead can also help. Remember, "fail to plan, prepare to fail!".

If you've given up on your New Year Resolutions, it's never too late to start again. New resolution can start at any time of the year. It's all about positivity and preparation. When are you going to make and start yours? Let's all make those positive changes in 2013 so that we can all say, "I stuck to my resolutions this year and will build on them in 2014!".

See you lighter next week, Love Wendy