I’ve read a few articles recently that said the #1 resolution this year (and most prior years) is to lose weight. I’ll save my soap box speech about why that is a faulty goal for later (there are lots of ways to lose weight and not all of them are healthy). And so, having realized that many of my readers are probably in the midst of re-committing themselves to a healthier lifestyle, I wanted to share 5 tips for staying on track:
1. Rally your support group. Tell friends and family what you are doing. Not only will they provide support (if they are good friends and truly caring family), but they will also help you to be accountable. Ask one of your friends to check in with you periodically to ask about your progress.
2. Set yourself up for success by planning ahead. This is key for anyone with a busy schedule. Prepare large portions of healthy dinners and put the leftovers in single serving containers for lunch the next day. For breakfast, I like to cook a double portion of steel cut oatmeal so that I’ll have some already prepared for the following morning. I can then take it to work, pop it in the microwave, and then add my protein powder, bee pollen, ground flax seeds, walnuts and fruit (more on this power breakfast in a future post!).
3. Avoid the common trap of over-estimating the number of calories your burning. In August of last year, Time magazine published an article titled Exercise Won’t Make You Thin. The article itself is a fascinating read, but the overall conclusion was that people often consume more when they exercise. Some of this is because the body is hungrier following exercise, but some of it is also mental in that we tell ourselves that we can have a little extra just because we went to the gym that day. And often, this little extra is not so little. Decide the number of calories you are going to consume as part of your new plan and stick to it.
4. Stay focused. Making a significant positive change in what you eat and how you exercise is not easy. It requires a lot of mental strength to break yourself from any habit, and unhealthy eating and fitness habits are no different. Keep your goals in mind at all times. Schedule time for exercise, even if it means having to skip a social event or miss that late night TV show you love so much. Avoid that piece of cake at the office, even if it is your boss’ birthday (if you are going to allow yourself a treat, be very selective <save it for your own birthday!> and watch your portions).
5. Think positive. No one accomplishes anything that they don’t believe they can accomplish. As long as you have set reasonable goals for yourself, you can reach them. It will take work and it will take dedication, BUT YOU CAN DO IT!
Popular F&I Posts