It’s almost that time of year again when many of us set resolutions for the months ahead. Whether that be related to career or health or some other endeavor, it always helps to plan “how” we’re going to accomplish what we set out to do and to set realistic, measurable goals to keep us motivated and stay in touch with how we’re doing along the way.

One of the most common New Years resolutions is to lose weight. For someone who would benefit from reaching a healthier weight, this is fantastic. However, there is a right way and a wrong way to do so. While lifestyle changes such as including fewer processed foods and incorporating physical activity x number of days per week can slowly help someone reach their goal, weight loss supplements and other unregulated dietary aids from the health food store can do more harm than good.

Recently, there have been quite a few articles about the dangers of such supplements. This New York Times article focuses a lot on green tea extract, which is often sold as a weight loss aid but can cause serious damage to the liver. However, many supplements come with dangerous side effects with little proven benefit. Bottom line according to me: Stick to real food—if it comes in a pill bottle  (or as a powder or potion) and promises to do great things, put it the f*** down. How about sipping a cup of green tea every afternoon instead?

So when you’re thinking about what you want to accomplish in 2014, give yourself permission to be kind to yourself and your body as you kick ass at your resolutions.

Do you know what your New Years resolution will be for 2014?