Well, the New Year has begun and we find ourselves motivated to start on a positive note with resolutions we made. A resolution is a promise one makes to himself/herself to engage in an act that is intended to lead to personal self-improvement. If it is too stressful, then chances are it is not in your mind frame for adhering to in the first place. Rather, take to heart your resolution and stick with it regardless of whether you feel you have already failed or not. FAILURE IS NOT FINAL but rather serves as feedback for you to learn from. Take the basic concept and adapt it to what you can adhere to and expand it as you see fit. If you resolved to live healthier or to lose weight I commend you, but never feel overwhelmed or stressed to keep a resolution. But, no matter your personal resolutions, reflect upon them and make changes that allow for personal success.
With that being said, I do hope that a heathier lifestyle is part of your goals for the New Year and here are a few things to think over to aid you along your journey. The first step is to make a realistic plan. For instance, weight gain is not an overnight process and neither is weight loss. Be honest with yourself about your current activity level and food intake, this includes an honest review of both. Setting small, short term goals that focus on your ultimate long term goal will help you feel successful and motivated to continue.
Increasing your activity level is one of the easiest and yet the hardest to achieve, it seems. If you are truly sedentary, finding the motivation to go out and walk can be hard. The health benefits of walking can be achieved whether you walk for 30 consecutive minutes or walk for 10 minutes three times a day. If you feel 10 minutes is too much at first, walk as long as you can and do this two to three times a day. Once these walks become easy, challenge yourself to increase your walking time each week. The point is to get up and move. If you currently exercise, change up your routine, increase your intensity, or exercise for a longer period of time every other workout. The purpose of exercise is to enhance your body’s caloric expenditure which is necessary to lose weight. The health benefits of cardiovascular exercise are immense and include lowering cholesterol levels, aiding with blood pressure control, and overall better mental health.
Of course the other part of the weight loss also refers to monitoring your food intake. Choosing low fat foods is a very important part of a healthier diet. But, remember that these versions may not be as satisfying to you when consumed. Be aware of what you are consuming and how it can affect your overall diet. If you tend to over consume a product because it is a lower calorie version, you have defeated the purpose of choosing that lower calorie version. Keep your plate colorful and fill half of your plate with a variety of fruits and vegetables. Be diligent in tracking your overall caloric intake and watch out for pitfalls. This is best done by keeping a food diary or using an app on your smartphone or computer to help with this. The USDA Supertracker website can help you make a plan, track your food intake and exercise too.
Other tricks that can aid your journey are using a salad plate to provide the illusion of a large meal when you are actually decreasing the portion size, sautéing your vegetables in chicken or beef broth instead of using oil, but if you prefer oil opt for olive oil. Finally, avoid eating large amounts of dried fruits as they generally contain higher concentrations of sugar.
The Statistic Brain Research Institute reported “in 2015, 45% of Americans made resolutions and the number one resolution was to lose weight. Of those people making resolutions, only 8% actually attain their resolution.” That statistic is only a number and not a person armed with tools to succeed with a weight loss resolution. Stay positive, and here’s to your healthy New Year!
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