As we turn the page to January and the rest of 2026, a common goal for many Americans each year is to lose weight.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that 40% of adults are obese. But experts discourage from looking at the scale every moment of every day.

In fact, don’t even look critically at yourself in aesthetic comparison to your pre-fit self.

Despite understanding all the factors that go into weight gain, it’s actually difficult to definitively explain why so many people are overweight. Therefore, your caloric intake and other dieting measures alone may not instantaneously result in shedding pounds and a noticeable change in the mirror.

That’s because our bodies have a framework built from our genes and family heritage.

Dieting attempts might lead to weight loss, but it can easily pile back on after you return to your typical habits. This is known as weight cycling. Numerous studies associate weight cycling with negative outcomes, ranging from cardiovascular disease and bone fractures to diabetes and an increased risk of certain cancers.

Focusing on fitness — instead of weight — is key.

Why? Well, a healthier lifestyle is much more important than losing weight. When your goal is exercise for the sake of fitness, your body experiences a positive trickledown effect — like building muscle, improving lung capacity and protecting your mobility into old age. It also decreases your chances of cancer, depression and diabetes.

So, think of your resolution this year as an investment: To feel better and invest in your future health … as much as a desired waistline.