New Year Resolutions: Lose Weight?

What is your New Year Resolutions? Is it losing weight? Losing weight is very common New Year resolutions. At start, we have the energy and determination to accomplish the task but a few weeks later we fall back into our usual lifestyle. Here are some health tips on how to make sure that we stick to our weight loss resolutions.

“WHY”! Determine all your whys and write it down.
What are you reason why you want to lose weight. Is it you want to look sexy and gorgeous during summer while wearing your beach attire? Is it to be healthy and get rid of heart disease and diabetes? Or do you want an active and happy lifestyle? Do you want more energy to play catch with the kids? Be as specific as possible.

Now, grab some notebook and write down your big WHY???

Set and write down sensible weight-loss goals.
The next important tip to being able to stick to your weight-loss goal is to set a sensible goal to begin with. You shouldn’t expect yourself to lose more than 1 to 2 pounds per week. Look for a Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator online to help you determine whether you are underweight, normal, overweight, or obese. The higher BMI, the more weight you can expect to lose in the long run. If you are in the normal range, but feel that you should lose weight, you may not want to aim for more than 5 pounds. On the other hand, if you are obese, than losing 50 pounds this year may be a good goal for you.

Please consult your physician before starting a weight loss program

Make a plan you can stick with all year long.
You know yourself better than just about anyone else. Most likely you’ve been on a diet or two (or more). So you already know what doesn’t work for you. You’ll be most likely to stick with something common sense making small changes that you can live with from here on. Eat healthier and consume fewer calories, but also get more active.

Set small goals along the way.
Look at where you are at now and at your goal for the end of the year. Now break it down into several small goals. You want to break your weight loss journey down into small chunks that seem more attainable. Focus on the first “mini” goal until you reach it and then move on to the next one.

Keep track of your progress.
Keep a journal and record what you eat and how active you are during the day. If you chase the kids around the yard for 20 minutes, record it. You’ll find yourself thinking, “If I eat that cookie, I’ll have to write it down. I better skip it”. Or if you haven’t been a couch potato all day, you may be motivated to take a quick walk around the block so you can jot it down in your journal.

Celebrate each small goal.
Remember those small goals you planed out? Make sure you celebrate each goal you reach – but not with food. Reward yourself with a new blouse, a manicure, or a good book. Pick something you truly enjoy. This will build some positive reinforcement that will keep you going until you reach the next goal.

Keep your “Why” in mind.
Don’t lose track of the big picture. Remind yourself daily of your big “Why”, the reason why you want to lose weight. Keep the sheet of paper with your reason for losing weight close by and read it every morning or every evening. This is another big motivator to keep you going all year.

Losing weight can seem like a daunting task, especially if you have a fair amount to lose and you are just starting out. Don’t let it intimidate you though. Take it one step and one pound at a time. Before you know it, it will be the December and you will be 5, 10 or 50 pounds lighter. I know you can do it!

Posted in: Diet, Health, health tips, Weight Loss