This doesn't mean that losing weight, quitting smoking or exercising more isn't difficult, but where is no real "giving up of something valued" in that list
It might be something simple but very hard for me to implement, like to stop eating sweet food, in exchange for better health
Isn't this a bit unfair. You kind of belittle the losing weight, quitting smoking, and exercising, and yet you were thinking of something similar with stop eating sweet food. All of those are for better health. Losing weight means eating less than normal, and possibly no sweets. For smokers, smoking is like a drug, and quitting can be very difficult and removing something they value. Exercising means losing valuable time spent elsewhere.
I guess it is because people put different value on things. I don't think smoking has any value, but I can understand the difficulty of quitting it for people that have done it for years. For me, I guess exercising more would be up there, since I need to take better care of myself.
Nope. I am no different to other people. However, what I am trying to point out is that when people make their resolution to "lose weight" (which they see as a positive action, they aren't making a sacrifice at that point. If perhaps they said I am going to cut out watch "xyz show" and during that time exercise, that sacrifices something. Does that make sense?
I have quit smoking after being a smoker for well over a decade. It is hard. But, "quitting smoking" isn't a sacrifice, as it is something wanted. The quitting is a gain. Similar with exercising more - it does mean sacrifice in other areas perhaps, but maybe making that sacrifice the focus will increase the chances of spending that time exercising.
The fact is, most people fail at their resolutions, because we easily fall back into their habits. If we give up loved habits, we will feel the loss and maybe look to fill the void with something better.
I guess we have different interpretations of sacrifice. I'll just leave it at that.
Replace those loved but bad habits, with discipline and good habits. I like that.