Weight Loss Help and Tips |
| 7 tips for setting your new year’s weight loss resolutions Posted: 27 Dec 2011 09:07 AM PST
One more year is coming to a close, the pads come out and the resolutions begin. January is actually the busiest time in the fitness and gym industry. February and March are probably the quietest with most people having given up on the weight loss and fitness effort…well until the bikini time comes around again. Setting New Year's weight loss resolutions is no different than setting other goals. Your goals need to S.M.A.R.T, in other words: Simple-Measurable-Achievable-Realistic-Timely, but most importantly you need to have the desire and willpower to work hard towards your targets. In this article we share 7 tips for setting your New Year's resolutions in such a way so they are achievable and realistic.
1. Set life goalsInstead of making a resolution list of the things you want to do make a list of the things you want to have and/or achieve in your life. For example a resolution list of the things you want to do could look like this:
Instead think 'what do I want to have in my life'? For example:
Then think how you can achieve each one of them. Weight loss and exercise can then be a process of achieving to look good and feel healthier but is not the end to all means. In addition, there are other ways to achieve your goal such as eat healthier, or cut down on takeaways and sweets. If you just concentrate on losing weight you will join the gym and get the next diet regime in the hype of the times. Then you will soon lose sight of why you are torturing and depriving yourself from food. No surprise most gym memberships are sold in January to never be used again by February with maybe small exceptions when preparing for the bikini season. 2. Compare your list with last yearsWhat did your resolution list look like last year? Do you automatically list the obvious things which are expected to be in your list? For example I used to be a smoker and for about 10 years in the top of my list was I will cut smoking. Smoking was bad for me and I knew I had to give up so every year I expected myself to try and stop smoking and then feel depressed as I had failed myself. In addition think why you didn't follow your last year's resolutions. Did something affect you? Did something change? Finding the reasons why you didn't do what you wanted last year it may be a way to help you avoid the same mistakes or help you plan for this year. 3. Be realisticChristmas and New Year can be emotionally charged times. The end of an era and the beginning of a new one it can make us make decisions based on emotions and not reality. Don't forget to also ask yourself if you are realistic in what you want. My resolution could well be finding a gold bucket at the end of a rainbow but no matter what I do it may not quite reach fruition. 4. Get off the diet wagon.Another problem with concentrating with dieting is that you are likely to grab the next diet regime, book etc that looks good. Does it work? You may lose some weight in a few weeks but you will have to stop dieting at some point and then what? Have a break until the next diet or is it that you never stopped. The weight loss industry is a very lucrative business and it does bank on the fact that you are looking for quick solution. I will go back to my first point which says make life goals and not a dieting commitment. Therefore, weight loss would be part of the life changes you want. Undoubtedly not everybody can do it by themselves, however try to pick that weight loss solution which will help you to learn about healthy eating, give you tips for your everyday life and support in what you are trying to achieve. 5. Get supportStudies have actually shown that people who have support tend to lose more weight and adhere to diet regimes. Support which comes from your immediate family environment is always the best. However, if for any reason you can't make that work support could come from friends, weight loss buddies, and even weight loss clubs and online weight loss services. There are plenty of choices out there so you can find the one that works for you. 6. Move everydayPhysical activity and exercise is a bonus for your health and weight management. Make a pledge to move every day. You don't have to necessarily pay big monthly subscriptions to a gym. Make a pledge to move a little bit every day. Go for a walk, or run in the park, go shopping and walk around the shops, have a spring clean, play a game with the kids, have a swim and so on. All you need is commitment and imagination. 7. Start livingOnce you set your life goals and resolutions all you have to do is start living. This is my new year's mojo. Stop dieting and start living. I am sure I'm not the only one who says that but I am loving it. |
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Fruit are low in calories and full of nutrients, antioxidants and phytochemicals. They can and make an easy, light and healthy snack and they can always satisfy a sugar craving. The calorific values vary for each fruit with bananas being slightly calorie heavy.
Yogurts are protein based snacks which can make you feel fuller for longer. In addition, yogurts can provide a flexible taste option as they be eaten plain or with toppings.
Smoothies are another flexible option. With smoothies you can create your own combination to please your own taste, you can use fruit and vegetables, yogurt, cream, ice whey-protein powder, and the list can go on. It is not as easy to make if you are on the go or in work.
Some studies actually suggest that blueberries and in general colourful fruit (and veg.) can actually have a protective role against obesity related diseases. Satisfy the craving and help your body regulate blood sugar, and conditions such as metabolic syndrome and diabetes.
Avocados are one of my favourite snacks. They can be eaten alone or in combination with other toppings. Calorific values of the snack will vary according to what you add on it. It can be easy and you could have an avocado on the go. I like to pre-cut an avocado in half and then take it in small container in my bag and eat it with a spoon when I want a snack.
With approximately 32kcal each rye crackers can be a great snack. Add a slice of ham or a slice of cheese to add more taste. Again this is an easy and flexible snack option. In addition rye crackers tend to have high fibre content and therefore they can make you feel full for longer.
Now this tends to be a very popular snack with body builders. This is an easy and high in protein snack.
This is a simple, low calorie and nutritious snack option. There is a huge variety of olives and you can also buy them infused with herbs and spices so it can suit a lot of tastes. Feta cheese is a protein based option and combined with the olives makes a classic Mediterranean snack. If cheese is not to your liking you could have just the olives.
A Mediterranean favourite snack. There are different variations in the Mediterranean region. Italians tend to like Parma ham with melon and in Greece they tend to serve feta cheese with melon. Either way, it can be a refreshing and slightly higher in protein snack. If you combine 2 slices of Parma ham with 6 slices of melon you have a snack of approximately 80 kcal.
Baked beans are a British favourite snack. A small tin of approximately 150g contains 122 kcal. Slightly over budget but it is not a big deal. Values can vary depending on the size of the can and the brand. If I'm stuck for choices I tend to open a small tin however, I know that many people don't like them cold. Depending on your taste they can be an easy and on the go snack or it may need a bit of preparation.
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