This is my 13th January in the Fitness Industry. Every January people around the world make New Years Resolutions and among the promises we make to ourselves, losing weight and exercising more are probably in our top five, if not top three. I am in the business to help people keep those resolutions but short of standing in front of your fridge or pulling you out the door to go for a walk I can only do some much. How about you make this the year that you simply keep your promises you make to yourself and to others? If you need to lose 10 pounds so that you feel better or your blood pressure drops then make a plan that you can stick with, learn new habits, and lose 10 pounds so that you can check it off your to do list and move on to their important things. I know, this is so much easier said than done, but is it? Have you made any steps toward your New Year's Resolutions on this 13th day of January?
Here are a few tips to help you reach your resolutions for 2011:
1. Write it down. Then, put it somewhere you see it EVERYDAY. Remind yourself.
2. Plan it out. Want to exercise more? Make an appointment each day that you want to exercise. Keep the appointment. Ask a friend, a sister, a mom, a dad to join you. Is your goal to eat better? Plan your meals before your shop. Shop for 4-5 days of food so that you can see what you truly are eating and what you are not eating. If you want to eat more salads but after 4 days your lettuce is wilting then maybe try for soup.
3. Teach yourself. Buy a book with a workout in it. I think the Biggest Loser books are a good place to start. Workouts you can do at home and information that can help you. I believe that every household should have a Vegetarian cookbook. I'm not pushing the issue (though I do believe you should all try it for a week and see how you feel!), I just think it will help you with ideas on how to cook delicious vegetable based meals, snacks, and sides.
4. Have the gear. Your exercise clothes should make you feel good. So, the high school t-shirt with holes in it should be left for the rag bag. You don't have to wear a skimpy tank or tight pants but you should be able to run errands in your workout clothes without hiding under a hat, unless the hat is an accessory of course! Along that line make sure you have a good pair of sneakers. They should be comfortable and not give you blisters every time you wear them.
5. Fit it in. There are days that the last thing I want to do is exercise. So, I fit it in. I ad a few more minutes to my walk home. I go for a quick 10 minute walk after lunch. Any activity you can do will make you feel better. You will be amazed how your "10 minute quick walk" can become 30 minutes once you are in your sneakers and out the door.
6. Take it with you. If your goal is to go to the gym after work, take your gym clothes to work with you and change before you leave work. Pack your lunch. Make your life easier by not having to take so many steps to have to reach your goals each day.
7. Drink Water. If you have a bad day and you can't get your workout in and you were rushed at lunch and were so hungry that you ate the Donuts that have been sitting on the tray in your office kitchen since yesterday.... take a deep breath, and drink some water. Half of your body weight in ounces to be exact. Then, maybe go for a quick 10 minute walk :)
All my best wishes to you for a HAPPY and HEALTHY 2011!
In Health,
Tricia
Great tips once again, Tricia!!!
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