Losing weight is commonly a New Year's resolution to which men and women across the globe aspire. They begin with high hopes of a grand new year, and an even better looking new body. These aspirations are commonly met with obstacles that throw them off the course, or diets that simply don't work. Here are some tips to help keep those resolutions and fulfill the dreams of a new you this year!
Setting Attainable Weight Loss Goals
Often people begin the new year by saying, "I am going to lose 50 pounds." This creates a high goal which can be very difficult to attain. The average person will not shed weight like "The Biggest Loser" contestants do. Start with an attainable weight loss goal such as 10 or 20 pounds. This allows people to meet their goals and feel as if they accomplished something. Weight loss can be a gradual thing, and can be very discouraging, so why set the goals so high? If the first 10 pounds is lost, set another goal of losing an additional 10 pounds. This will make losing weight even more exciting. Planning on working out 3 times a week versus 6 times a week will also help in making an attainable goal. If a goal is set at 6 times, it will only create discouragement and make people want to quit. Keep the goals attainable.
Become Healthy
Many people only look at weight loss as their goal for the new year. Weight loss may be what sounds good to us, but becoming healthy is the larger issue. Health determines our life span and the things we can accomplish. It is important to remember that weight can be affected by water in the body, and muscle mass. Make the resolution to look and feel better, and not just to lose the weight. This eliminates the need for crash diets and extreme workouts. It is important to remember that there are many people who are skinny and not healthy. Try to focus on helping yourself enjoy life rather than becoming skinny.
Join an Aerobics Class
For many people losing weight is about getting on a treadmill or going jogging five times a week. This is one way to attain your weight loss goals, but having accountability can really help with this. Joining a club, or workout program can help keep people accountable for attending their workout. Classes not only help people with attendance, seeing the others in the class pushing themselves can help with motivation factors. Seeing someone who looks good and pushes themselves during their workout can help those wanting to lose weight see that if they work hard they can get to that point. Programs such as Curves include trainers who come around and help give motivation. This can be a good alternative to personal trainers who can quickly become very expensive if money is an issue.
Ways to Decrease Hunger
Eating foods that are filling and don't make you feel hungry is a great way to begin to move into a healthier eating lifestyle. Dairy products can be high in calories, but they are very filling. Drinking a glass of milk in the morning can help to decrease hunger throughout the day. Eating proteins such as chicken can also increase energy and help to increase calories burned during the day. Sugars are good at making your body crave more.
Many times the body can send signals of hunger when really a person is dehydrated. Try to drink a glass of water and then see if you are still craving food. If so remember that portion is a key factor in weight loss. Halving the food that is given to you at a restaurant can be a great way to address this. After the first half is eaten sit for five minutes to see if you are still hungry. Usually after this amount of time the food settles and you no longer feel hunger.
No matter what is done to lose the weight, it is important not to be hard on yourself. Life is about learning and making choices. Sometimes we make mistakes, but the important thing is not to quit. Get back up and continue to work on this goal. Set a goal and follow it through. Remember that Rome was not built in a day, and it will take time to form our bodies to what we want them to be.
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