New Year’s Resolutions Gone Sour

 

5, 4, 3, 2, 1….HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 “My New Year’s resolution is to quit smoking”.  “My resolution is to lose weight”.  “I’m going to start eating healthier”.  “I’m joining a gym”.

 Week One:  Getting Started

“I can do this, I’m pumped!”  “This is going to be cake”.  “Let’s do it”.

 Week Two: 

“Wow this is hard but I got this, I have willpower”.  “I just have to psych myself up”.

 Week Three:

“I need a cigarette!”  “I’m starving to death!”  “My body hurts!”  “I need a cheat day!”

 Week Four:

“This is for the birds!”  “I can’t do this anymore, I’m all done!”  “Oh well at least I tried”.  “There’s always next year”.

 Does this sound all too familiar year after year?  Well it doesn’t have to be!

Most New Year’s resolutions fail within the first 30 days.  Probably because some people start out with the right intentions but may be going about it all wrong.  Think about it.  Some people go from smoking for years to trying to quit cold turkey.  And for some they have been eating foods loaded with fats and sugars year after year to a diet consisting of egg whites, dried out chicken and vegetables.  Not to mention exercising.  Some go from an exercise regimen of getting off the couch to find the remote control to killing themselves on a stair master 5 days a week.  No wonder why so many people fail at their New Year’s resolution.  They try to make their resolution a quick fix instead of a lifestyle change.

 Bad habits were not created in a day, a week or even a month.  So breaking those habits (which can be done) may be a slow process for some.  Instead of looking at your goals as a resolution why not look at them as a journey, one day at a time.  With each day you get through its one step closer to winning the battle. 

Here are some ways that may help prevent your New Year’s resolution from going sour.

 If your New Year’s resolution is to:

• Quit Smoking—You may want to seek medical advice before quitting.  Your physician may suggest alternatives to just quitting cold turkey.  Alternatives such as using nicotine replacement therapy or non-nicotine medications to reduce withdrawal symptoms. Or by reducing your intake of nicotine gradually over time by decreasing the number of cigarettes you smoke.  Acupuncture or support groups could also be an alternative to just quitting cold turkey.

• Lose Weight and/or Eat Healthier—Try not to make drastic changes to your diet all at once, do it in increments.  In other words if you need to add more fiber to your diet (fruits, veggies, whole grains), do it gradually.  Start out with the first few days by adding fiber to one of your meals.  Oatmeal or fruit for breakfast or a serving of veggies or brown rice with lunch or dinner.  Then after a few days add another serving and so on until you reach your recommended daily intake (25-30 grams per day).  By adding fiber gradually you may prevent bloating and/or stomach cramps.  Another way to make gradual changes to your diet is by bringing a lunch from home instead of ordering take out or eating at a fast food restaurant.  This way you can control the fat intake associated with fast foods.  The same goes with water intake.  Water is very important for overall health & weight loss.  If you feel you don’t drink enough water or no water at all then gradually add one cup at a time.  Your ultimate goal is to take in at least half of your body weight in ounces (150 pd person = 75 ounces of water intake per day).  And the more water you take in the more water your body will crave instead of sugary drinks such as soda’s, juices etc…. Don’t like plain water?  Then try flavored water or add lemon or any kind of other fruit.
• Start an Exercise Regimen—Start out slow slow slow!!  Don’t be another statistic with failing at your New Year’s resolution.  Start out by walking on a treadmill or using a stationary bike for 15-20 minutes every other day for the first week. Then with each passing week either add more time to your cardio, more days or increase your intensity levels.  (Try not to exceed 45 minutes of cardio 5-6 days a week if your goal is weight loss). After a few weeks of doing cardio add weight training to your regimen but start at a beginner’s level. Start with a full body workout (one exercise per muscle group and 1-2 sets of each).  Train 2-3 X per week with 1-2 days rest in between.  Use light weights in the beginning then gradually increase your weight over time.  Make sure you change up your weight training programs every 4-5 weeks when you hit a plateau.  By gradually adding and making changes to your cardio and weight training regimen, you may not only prevent burnout and/or injuries but you may prevent your New Year’s resolution from going sour.

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Lift Heavy or Light Weights for Weight Loss?

Studies show that lifting heavier weights (8 – 10 reps) creates more weight loss than lifting lighter weights (15 reps or more).  As we age we lose an average of 5 percent of our muscle mass every 10 years after the age of 35 which equates to weight gain.  The only way to offset that is by lifting heavier.

For every pound of muscle we create we burn 50 – 75 calories a day at rest.  And as the muscle increases your bodyfat automatically decreases.

An important note:  If your just starting an exercise program it’s important to start with a beginners program to avoid injuries.  Use lighter weights then gradually increase your weight overtime.

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Eat Real Foods not Fake ones

Are you looking to lose weight and burn some calories studies show that people that eat carbs and drink more milk are guaranteed to burn more calories. Let me explain complex carbohydrates and fiber pump up your metabolism by keeping insulin levels low after you eat. By skipping meals, you slow down your metabolism and prime your body to store fat,”  because spikes in the production of insulin send a signal to your body that it’s time to start storing fat. And in order for your body to stockpile fat, it has to slow down your metabolism, causing you to burn fewer calories. thus gaining or not losing any weight even though your eating less.

When you restrict the number of calories your body has for fuel, your metabolic rate can drop temporarily. That makes it easier to pack on the pounds and harder to burn them off again. Drink more milk you’ll lose weight because the calcium in milk is a metabolic trigger . dieters who consumed between 1,200 and 1,300 milligrams of calcium a day lost nearly twice as much weight as dieters getting less calcium.

Also, a recent study shows, eating “diet foods” like ones containing Olestra can actually pack on pounds – not reduce them. Eating fake fat can turn into real fat if not careful.  To lose weight quickly and safely, eat natural foods like fruit and vegetables.

If you decide you need the help of a personal trainer then why not try my very own product it’s called My Audible Trainer, you take my workout to the gym with you, a simple to follow CD (MP3 Compatible) fitness routine that helps women workout. My Audible Trainer utilizes beats, you simply follow the beats, we also provide nutritional guidelines and so much more.  As a business owner, mother, and a personal trainer I want to help women of all ages get fit, to learn more about My Audible Trainer here’s the link.