2012 New Year Resolution

There is going to be a lot of crap floating around out there about how to loose weight and keep it off this year. There really are many different ways to do so, and finding the one that works for you is as important to YOUR weight loss as your own genetic structure. 

So my advise this year is to keep it simple. Don't take on too much. Make realistic goals. Like loosing 5-10 pounds over the next 6-8 weeks. Not something ridiculous like 20 pounds. 20 pounds will take  much longer than that.

Adopt smaller changes in your daily routine. Like cutting back on the sweets (2-3 per week, instead of daily), or limiting your caffeine intake to one cup of joe per day. As you slowly add these changes into your daily life, you'll find them easier and easier to make habitual, and last the entire year through.

Here are some tips I found that are very useful, and easy to adopt:

#1 Surround yourself with positive people. As you begin your weight-loss journey, get family and friends to support and inspire you. Ask them to encourage you to make healthy decisions and stick by you during challenging times. Having the right support will help keep you committed to your goals.

#2 Be creative. Make one of your resolutions a commitment to introduce new nutritious, appetizing foods into your daily meals. Aim to try one new vegetable a week or experiment with different ways of preparing basic seafood, meat, or poultry dishes. Being creative with foods and recipes will not only help prevent food boredom, but it will also keep you on the right track.

#3 Set realistic weight-loss goals!! Studies show that while crash dieting can lead to quick weight loss, it ultimately leads to more weight gain over time. To help you stay on a healthy path as you shed excess pounds, set realistic goals. With a gradual weight-loss plans, you’ll learn good eating habits, improve your overall health, and keep the weight off as eating right most of the time becomes your lifestyle.

#4 Reward yourself. Every success counts — big or small. So whether you’ve decided to get off the couch, quit smoking, or kick another unhealthy habit, it’s important to reward yourself for your achievements. Instead of using food as a reward, treat yourself to other things that help you feel good about yourself like new workout clothes or a new (tighter) pair of jeans.