New Years Resolution: Make 2011 the Year of Your Best Body Ever

As Holiday vacation comes to an end and Christmas gifts and decorations have been put away, its time to return to your regular routine after a festive season spent with family and friends. Some of you may have also over indulged on food and alcohol over the past few weeks and you realize another year of weight loss attempts and failed New Years resolutions also has come and gone. Maybe it’s the Holiday over eating that triggers people to want to lose weight at this time of year, or perhaps it’s the beginning of a new year, but no matter what people’s reason for wanting to lose weight there is no doubt that January and February are the busiest months for weight loss goals. Sadly the percentage of people who give up on their weight loss resolutions is very high, as at least 80% of people who make New Years weight loss resolutions will fail. There are many reasons why people do not stick to their weight loss goals however the most common reasons are: 1) they do not see results fast enough and give up, 2) they are scared of failure and give up because they believe they will fail regardless, and 3) they are not really ready for a lifestyle change. The good news is that weight loss is very possible and these roadblocks can easily be avoided. No matter what your reason for failing in the past, you can achieve your fitness and weight loss goals with a little planning. Here’s how to make 2011 the year you get your best body ever!

1) Set specific goals – Go to the store, by yourself a journal, and write down your health and fitness goals. You need to make the goals specific so you are more likely to reach them. Instead of writing a vague goal like “I want to lose weight this year”, be very specific and write goals such as “I want to lose 40 lbs for my sister’s wedding the end of August”. When you make a specific goal and link an event to the goal to (a trip, wedding, reunion, etc) you are more motivated to stick to the goal and you can measure your progress in that time. Keep the journal to track your progress and as a food diary.

2) Set realistic goals – One of the most common reasons people do not stick to their goals in because they are not realistic. It is human nature to want immediate gratification and therefore we want to see results right away. If however your goals are not realistic and impossible to be achieved, then you will not be successful. It is realistic to lose between 1 – 2 lbs of fat in a week, meaning you can lose between 4 – 8 lbs in a month. You cannot lose any more fat than this because if you do you may be losing water and valuable muscle instead, important for metabolism. Once you have a weight loss goal in mind figure out what a realistic time frame is and use that to help you sick to your goals.

3) Stick to your routine – It is much easier to exercise in the beginning because you’ve paid for your gym membership or purchased fitness equipment and are motivated to use it. Your motivation can quickly wear off though, especially if you are someone who expects big results right away. It takes at least a month of regular exercise and sticking to your program for you to see results and to make regular physical activity a habit. On the other hand it can only take a few days of skipping your workout to fall off track. Be patient, stick it out and before long you will be seeing results. Seeing results is all the motivation you need to keep you exercising.

4) Take it one step at a time – If you are someone who has an all or nothing approach then you might be setting yourself up for failure. Spending too much time on your workouts can cause you to burn out quickly, which makes working out the last thing you want to do. In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle you need balance in all aspects of your life, and that includes exercising. Start your workouts off slowly so you only have to spend 30 min in the gym 5 days a week. No matter what your schedule everyone can spare 30 min in their day for a fast efficient workout. Once you are easily exercising 5 times a week then you can increase your workout time.

5) Make mini milestones – Reaching long-term goals can be difficult, especially if your goal is to lose a significant amount of weight. Making short-term goals can be more effective so your goals don’t seem so far off. Give yourself little rewards once you reach these mini milestones such as new workout clothes. Finally plan to give yourself a larger gift once you achieve your final goal. A new wardrobe or a trip to a tropical location to show of your hot new body are two great rewards to look forward to.

What are you waiting for? Make today the first day to achieving your best body ever. For more great tips on exercise please email me at krissy@achievefitnessandnurtition.com