Healthy Living
5 Tips to Start the New Year
The leftovers have disappeared and the festive drinking, eating, and general merriment have passed with the holidays. So now, look at January as an opportunity to start again and focus on weight loss, by eating better and moving more. Here are 5 tips to help you stick to your New Year’s resolutions:
1. Make Your Intentions Known. Having a clear thought-out goal and plan of action is essential for success. Writing it down can help to reinforce it too, especially if you post it in a visible spot. Share your resolution with friends and family so they can help support and keep you on track. Also consider keeping a diary to log your food and activity.
2.Celebrate Each Step and Achievement. Taking on too much can be destructive to your weight loss journey. Goals must be realistic and attainable. For a healthier lifestyle, keep fruit and vegetables at the front of the fridge while limiting snack consumption. Add extra activity steps whenever possible like parking father away or taking the stairs. Most importantly, celebrate all victories, big and small, because each step brings you closer to your ultimate success. Every time you make a small lifestyle change aimed at reaching your goal, reward yourself and mark your progress on a wall chart. Share these successes with a WW friend.
3. Eat Smart and Be Mindful. Mindful eating can be a useful weight loss technique. Try to eat meals free from distractions like your phone, TV, and computer. Take time to savor each bite, noticing the taste, flavor and texture of your food. This will also help you eat more slowly, which reduces the likelihood of overeating. When possible, make smart food choices, such as steamed and baked food over fried foods, drink water before meals, eat eggs (or another high-quality protein) for breakfast, use smaller plates, switch regular tea for green tea, and cut out sugary drinks. Each smart mindful decision gets you one step closer to your final goal.
4. Harness The Power of a Streak. If you keep your resolution, plans and goals for a week, two weeks, or a month. That’s a great progress streak, and you can let it drive and motivate you to keep going forward (“I really want to do X, but I’m not breaking my streak!”). But if something happens to force you to break it…Just start a new streak! It’s slow and steady that wins the race. There are lots of small changes you can implement over a defined period to make big steps towards better health.
5. Buddy Up for the Win. Partnering with a fitness workout partner at the gym or someone at WW with a similar weight loss goal can help to reinforce your resolution, motivate you, keep you on track and improve your overall mood. You could also appoint an accountability manager to keep an eye on your progress, such as a relative or a good friend who wants to see you succeed. You are not alone and there are lots of like-minded and supportive people who can help you achieve your weight loss goals.
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