I hope you all had a healthy, happy and safe holiday season. Losing weight is the #1 resolution made and the #1 resolution broken before the year is through. Only 8% stick with their intentions of having a healthier year. Here are some ways to keep you on track without feeling defeated or overwhelmed.
Baby steps: set realistic goals so that you can achieve them! For instance, I am going to walk for 30 minutes, 2 times a week. Once you accomplish that, make your goals more challenging.
Don’t sweat the numbers: I know you all are saying to yourselves, “it would be nice to lose xx amount of weight this year.”. Sure it would -but that is not what living a healthy lifestyle is all about. Plus, when you are struggling to get to that number, you may want to give up and give in to the failure. Instead, grab a pair of pants or a dress that is maybe a little too snug. Give yourself plenty of time and set the goal of fitting into it without touching a toe on the scale. Remember, you may lose noticeable inches before you shed any pounds.
Substitute: instead of throwing away the chips, chocolate and butter and replacing them with tofu, think about swapping them out realistically. Maybe instead of that soda (diet or not), have a refreshing glass of water. The next day, think about grabbing an apple instead of that pre-made, sugary granola bar. You can keep on thinking of ways to swap for cleaner, whole foods that will satisfy you and get you to reach your goal sooner without feeling deprived.
Moderation: right out of the gate, so many people rush to the gym or fitness studio and burn themselves out right after January 1st. That is the reason the fitness studios are so crazy for about a month and then die back down to normal. If you are not an active person, try adding just one or two hours of activity a week to start. Your muscles will be sore and you will need adequate recovery time so that you can perform at your best. Once you are in a routine, add more time in the gym until you feel good week after week. Yes, you will still be sore after your workouts, but you shouldn’t feel overwhelmed anymore.
Make friends: I am already a very social person, so this was the key ingredient in my weight loss recipe. If you are not social, this is just a good way to keep yourself accountable. If you meet someone in a class or at the gym, make sure you keep a “date” week after week to be in the same class or work on the same machines. If you think of canceling your “date”, you know someone besides yourself will be disappointed and that might motivate you to put your sneakers on and get there.
Make the time: chiseling out an hour or two a week can prove to be very challenging in the beginning of your journey. For me, I had to resign to the fact that these hours were dedicated to making myself happy by being healthy and nothing else. It became my routine and my lifestyle and I try not to let anything get in the way. Emergencies may arise, but do not make excuses for spending that time on yourself.
Ask for help: in Saratoga Springs we are very fortunate that there are so many fitness professionals eager to help you. Get a free pass to a gym and try out several before you commit. Or, try out a free class at a fitness studio to see if you like it. My Saratoga Cycling Studio offers a free “Begin to Spin” class once or twice a month (January 5th and 26th) for new clients. This is a great way to get your feet wet and to see what is right for you and your schedule. At my fitness studio, we have highly trained and certified instructors ready to answer any questions you may have and offer you a safe and effective workout. Also, hiring a professional to help you will most likely get you to see results much quicker.
Acceptance: You are going to fail on some level in your journey – that is the reality of this situation. I failed and continue to fail every once in a while. What makes me a winner and not a failure is that I brush myself off, get up and try again. If this journey were easy, everyone would look like Jillian Michaels and no one would buy Dexatrim (I only use this as an example – please do not try Dexatrim!). You need to accept that you are human, you make mistakes, but you are able to adapt and move on.
Reward yourself: along the lines of baby steps, you need to celebrate reaching your goals and sticking with your new lifestyle. I wouldn’t suggest eating an entire sheet cake, but why not have that full fat caramel latte that you have been craving? You worked damn hard for it!
I hope these little tricks help you stay on track and as always, please feel free to email me or comment here with any questions you may have.