Realistic New Year’s Resolution
So, finally, the all New Year is here! What a great weight loss help and opportunity to refresh your mind and revitalize your body to achieve ideal weight and optimum fitness!
As you make your ‘ New Year’s Resolution List’, these tips may help you achieve your weight loss goal.
Resolution 1: Set SMART objectives: Forget what happened in the past. For a smarter 2010, your brand new weight loss journey should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. It means that you need to be your own boss, set the target according to your needs and lifestyle and don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Be realistic and do not aim too high in the beginning. Similarly, set a deadline to keep yourself enthusiastic and focused. For example if you need to lose 100 pounds, then set a goal of 25 pounds by a certain date such as March 31st. When you reach that goal, establish a new goal of 25 more pounds by June 30th.
Resolution 2: Eat consistently but carefully: According to time-tested diet advice, those who are consistent about their meals are more likely to achieve their realistic weight goals. Therefore, be consistent and try to eat the same way on weekdays and weekends. This may seem a little tough at first but gradually you will get used to it.
You should also aim that, from now on, you would never skip a breakfast as eating a typical breakfast (cereal and fruit) increases your metabolism and help you burn more calories during the whole day. For the rest of the day, limit your daily food consumption to frequent small meals instead of a fewer large meals. A difference of three hours between two meals is mostly recommended, constructing four to five small meals each day (including breakfast).
Resolution 3: Improve your physical activity: You should be aware of the fact that even best diet advice doesn’t work without the essential part of physical activity. Regardless of your gender, if you want to achieve consistent weight loss in the New Year, you should enhance your physical activity either by picking up the intensity with some interval training or changing your exercise routine. This can be achieved by doing exercise in any form, like walking, swimming, jogging, cycling, weight lifting, and aerobics. According to a study, an hour a day of moderate-intensity activity such as brisk walking helps men and women burning off an average of 3,293 and 2,545 calories respectively.
Resolution 4: Measure & monitor: You know what; even the best diet advice and weight loss help would not work if you don’t check for those little extra pounds that usually remain unnoticed. Make a habit of checking your body weight frequently and regularly (ideally you should do it daily or at least once in a week). This enables you to notice even the smallest weight gain and, thus, you can take prompt corrective and preventive measures for the same.
By keeping a food diary, exercise chart and noting down even the smallest gains will keep you well-aware of even the minute changes and you will then be able to deal with this change promptly. Likewise, it will also empower you to control your own calorie consumption and you will have a command over how much calories you need to burn daily.
Resolution 5: Practice patience & perseverance: You didn’t gain the extra weight overnight so don’t expect it to miraculously melt off overnight either. Give your body time to adjust to the new lifestyle and expect plateaus along the way. Remember how the old saying goes; “slow & steady, wins the race”. Be prepared to win the race this time and prove that this New Year belongs to you. And finally, do remember that 2010 should not be the end as successful weight loss is a journey, not a destination.
This is brilliant advise and a lot of what is written here is what I have planned for myself this year. I suppose the hardest thing to do is stop thinking about the past and how you “failed” in previous healthy eating or exercise. But it is a new year, and I have a new regime. And this time, I’m not doing it alone either!