LOOSE WEIGHT! It’s on the top of everyone’s list almost every year.  All of the treadmill and ellipticals at the gym are suddenly filled once again, and the television and internet are inundated with segments on diet and exercise.  Well here’s another one for you because heck there’s no such thing as too much information and encouragement.

It is one thing to make a new years resolution… its KEEPING it that’s the hard part.  The most important factor when making a resolution is that the goal be one that you really want and are willing to make changes to get.  If you only “wish” you could attain that goal, then everything in your life will suddenly become an excuse as to why you can’t make it happen.  Small steps can make a huge difference so don’t think you have to jump all the way in the pool at once.

#1 DRINK MORE WATER!!!  If you think you are drinking enough water, you are probably not.  Drink at least 8 glasses a day, that’s 3/4 of a gallon to a gallon of water!  You will be in the bathroom every 20 minutes but its worth it.  For your digestion, for your weight, hydration, hair, skin and nails.  A body without sufficient water is like a wilted plant.

#2 EAT BREAKFAST – I know, I know, you’re not hungry in the morning, you don’t have time, breakfast makes you sick, I hear the excuses loud and clear, and as strange as it might seem to add another meal to your day that you don’t typically eat, a healthy breakfast helps jump start your metabolism and prevents you from eating more throughout the rest of the day.  Start small, make it quick and easy and after a few times it will be painless and something you will come to look forward to every day.  The best breakfast options are: egg whites, oatmeal, green veggies and a piece of fruit.  Make it happen.

#3 EAT 5-6 SMALL MEALS PER DAY.  Eating 5 SMALLER meals throughout the day will prevent you from getting starved, thus overeating at lunch or dinner and will keep your metabolism from slowing down in between meals, which will help you to burn more calories all day long.

#4 HIT THE GYM.  Could it be any more obvious? The more you move the more calories you burn.  So get up and start moving as much as you can.  Coincidentally the more you move, the more energy you will have as well.  So although it might seem like you are just too tired at the end of the day.  Force yourself the first few times and then after that you should find that it gets easier and that you have more energy throughout the day because of it.

STEPS TO MAKING YOUR RESOLUTIONS STICK…

STEP 1: make realistic and measurable goals.  Be specific – don’t just say “I want to loose weight” say “I want to loose 2 lbs each week for the next 10 weeks, and I will accomplish this by making diet and exercise changes such as..”

Setting your goal is a great first step but you’ve got to give yourself a path to get there otherwise it can be a dead end road.

STEP2: make a plan of action.  Your chances of meeting a goal are greatly increased once you start taking action, rather than just thinking about it or speaking about it.  START NOW!

Be sure to check back next week for more great tips!

According to Wikipedia: A New Year’s resolution is a commitment that a person makes to one or more personal goals, projects, or the reforming of a habit. A key element to a New Year’s resolution that sets it apart from other resolutions is that it is made in anticipation of the New Year and new beginnings. People committing themselves to a New Year’s resolution generally plan to do so for the whole following year. This lifestyle change is generally interpreted as advantageous.

Approximately one in every three Americans will make a New Years promise.  Have you made yours? Studies like to say that less than half of new years resolutions fall short, but the statistic give by Statistic Brain is 46% of people who make New Years resolutions will keep their resolution past 6 months… that looks like a glass half full to me! An almost 50% chance of you following through on your resolution is certainly worth the risk! If there even is a risk at all.

So what are the top 10 New Years Resolutions for 2012?

Source information: www.statisiticbrain.com

For the next 10 weeks we will go over each of these top 10 resolutions in more detail, to give you ideas on how to support and motivate yourself to stick to that resolution.

STEP 1: make realistic and measurable goals.  Be specific – don’t just say “I want to loose weight” say “I want to loose 2 lbs each week for the next 10 weeks, and I will accomplish this by making diet and exercise changes such as..”

Setting your goal is a great first step but you’ve got to give yourself a path to get there otherwise it can be a dead end road.

Be sure to check back next week for more great tips!