Weight loss plans so often fail because they focus on losing, or missing out on something. Things you can’t eat, or shouldn’t do.

This year, give yourself a break and focus instead on gaining something: better physical balance. There may be some surprising add-on benefits:

1. Good balance requires regular (daily) practise, so you may find yourself moving more than in the past.

2. Balance exercises often require you to move in conscious ways, not on autopilot, which can have a calming, meditative effect, making the workout more enjoyable as both body and mind are engaged.

3. Good balance needs good muscle strength, especially in the legs. Building muscle can mean it’s easier to maintain a healthy weight as muscles burn more calories than fat.

4. If you haven’t done strength training before, maybe you’ll enlarge your social circile by joining a class or having a session with a trainer or physical therapist to make sure you learn the correct form.

5. Once you feel your balance improving, you might be surprised what you can do: book that bucket list trip you were nervous about before, start a new sport, or go back to an old one.

What would better balance mean to you this year? We took a quick poll around the Zibrio team, and these are some of the answers:

• Keep me safe while I run with my dog - she’s always pulling me one way or another, and I don’t want to get injured.

• Keep me competitive in my sport - I’m often one of the oldest people on the pitch

• I just feel better, especially when chasing my grandkids around

• I have a competition going with my brother. He has more free time than me, so it keeps me on my toes!