New Year, New You

As the New Year starts, you’re probably toying with the idea of a resolution. Losing weight, eating healthier, exercising more — these are all excellent options, and I support anyone trying to change their life in a positive way.
 
But rather than a vague resolution, like “I want to lose weight,” try setting a specific goal and back it up with a plan. Knowing where you want to end up and how you get there makes all the difference.
 
Here are some tips to help you set a fitness goal and make a plan to achieve it.
 
Be Specific
So you want to lose weight. How much weight? By what date? How are you going to do it?
 
If you have benchmarks in place and a plan to back it up, all you have to do is execute. 
 
Start with the big dream. Say you want to lose 15 lbs by the time you go on your vacation to Mexico in April. That gives you roughly enough time to lose one pound per week, which is a healthy amount to lose (no crash diets here).
 
 
Execute Your Plan
The best way to lose weight is, you guessed it, a healthy diet and exercise.
 
How many times per week are you willing to exercise to lose one pound per week? Three to four? Great! Schedule those workouts into your calendar right now. Once they become a habit, you will crave it.
 
On to eating. What are some foods with “empty calories” you could cut out of your diet? For example, try cutting out sugary drinks, you may not miss them after a week or two.
 
If you try to change everything at once, you’re bound to fail. Start cutting back and making incremental change, and you’ll see results.
 
Next, what are you going to add in to your diet?  Start with a couple glasses of water in the morning, you’re dehydrated after all that sleeping.  Add in vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats (avocado, olive oil) and complex carbohydrates (brown rice, whole grain products)
 
And really, don’t forget the occasional treat; you’re only human. 
 
Accountability
Once you have your health and fitness goals set, and your plan is in place, you have the power to accomplish it. If you need help building a plan, setting goals or someone to be accountable to, please get in touch with a fitness professional to help you crush those 2017 goals.