As every new year comes, people all around the world set their resolutions for how they want to better themselves, with one main goal being losing weight or getting in shape. But as every new year progresses, people don’t hit their goals as easily as they expect, and often give up just a few months in.

Bill Steele, physical therapist and owner of Ideal Weight Plan in Dunkirk, said that this is where people often go wrong. Spending the money to get into gyms isn’t what it takes to lose weight, or at least it isn’t all it takes. Instead, Steele’s biggest piece of advice is eating properly.

“A typical person at the start of the new year cuts back on everything,” Steele said. “Their doctor tells them to eat fruits and veggies and cut back on sweets. Then they start exercising, but they don’t get enough protein, so they lose muscle mass. Then they’re in the gym trying to make muscle mass, meaning they’re probably breaking even. They get hungrier from working out, then they eat the food they’re not supposed to. It ends up being a stalemate and they don’t see much of a difference.”

Steele said his business typically picks up this month and into March, when people get discouraged from going to the gym and seeing no results. Once they come to him, he’s able to help them reach their goals, simply by fixing their diet.

“You come in and we have partial meal replacements,” Steele said. “We teach you how to eat, we restrict carbs, and make sure you get adequate amounts of protein and you get supplementation to make sure you’re still getting everything that was cut from your diet.”

“Then, by restricting your diet,” Steele continued. “You end up not being hungry because you go into ketosis. This is different from the keto diet because keto still has you get 50 percent of your calories from fat and saturated fat, but this diet is lean and you get the minimum required fat.”

Steele said that at the beginning of the Ideal Weight Plan routine, they discourage exercise, as to not eat away at existing muscle mass. Instead, daily actions like walking, talking, and using the stairs help will lead to the body repairing itself while sleeping, which will burn the calories to start off.

“I’m also a physical therapist,” said Steele. “Exercise is important but it won’t make you lose weight if you don’t eat right. I lost 75 pounds and didn’t change one bit of my day, other than what I ate.”

Steele also has an answer for the other concern people have with changing their diet: There are still sweet snacks you can have as part of the meal plan.

“People still get the sweet stuff,” Steele said. “Because of our meal replacements, we have everything from Rice Krispie treats, to a sugar style wafer, chips, and all that. That’s what people crave. By getting that in your diet, it makes a huge difference.”

While Steele said they can put people on the right path, it’s important they continue to eat right on their own, as returning to old habits makes the weight come right back. But Steele’s plan gives all the tools needed to lose weight successfully.

“We teach you how to lose it, maintain it, and eat properly so you can still have one day a week where you enjoy yourself,” Steele said.

Ideal Weight Plan is located in D&F plaza between Ollie’s and Blasdell Pizza. For more information, call 716-413-4070.