Keeping Your New Year’s Resolution
Staggering numbers of adults make a resolution to lose weight in the new year. So why aren’t there more success stories? Some websites lure you with some miracle new pill or 10 day wonder diet, but the truth is to lose weight and keep it off you have to consistently apply the basics - eat right and exercise. I know, it’s not sexy but it works and keeps on working. A huge key, though, is consistency.
Just how can we eat right and exercise long term? We have to find what works for specifically for us. You may never enjoy a salad as a main dish, but you can regularly order baked foods instead of fried. You may never pack a snack for the car ride in to work, but you can grab a V-8 or Bolthouse Farms juice and peanuts at the gas station instead of a coke and doughnuts. You may never join a gym, but you can go for a brisk walk every evening. You may not use an exercise video, but you can do leg lifts or sit ups on commercials while watching your favorite show. Just find the healthy things you will do and then do them all the time. It takes lots of little bad choices to get out of shape, so lots of little good choices will get you back in shape!
Consider these things to help you keep a weight loss resolution.
- Take a big goal like “losing weight” and break it down into smaller steps that you can do.
- Write down small steps you want to take in the areas of your body, soul, and spirit. People who address all three have long term success.
- Steps for the body should include:
- Eat breakfast
- Drink water
- Exercise
- Eat whole grains, fruits and vegetables
- Limit unhealthy fats, sugar, and over-sized portions
- Eat good snacks
- Get adequate sleep
If you want some more detailed encouragement, I read a couple of good articles this week. Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD at Fox News Health Blog gives 7 good tips to keep your New Year’s Resolution. Tracee Cornforth at About.com explains how quantity and quality of sleep is a big factor in weight management. Suzanne Meyers at Ezine Articles explains the importance of determining why you want to lose weight.
Consistently applying the basics is what the tortoise did to win the race against the hare. Go ahead and picture the hare doing a 24 hour starvation diet or one 3 hour workout at the gym. Be a tortoise - I dare you - you really will win. So to you I raise my glass and say CHEERS - to one of the success stories!
