How to Keep Your New Year’s Weight Loss Resolution
Following weeks of heavy holiday food, get-togethers with family and friends,
and general over-indulgence, it’s no surprise that the vow to lose
weight is a popular one come New Year’s Day. While plenty of people
purchase gym memberships and trendy cleanses with the best of intentions,
too many fall off the wagon early in the year. According to Meghan Marr,
RDN, LPN, and CaroMont Health Community Wellness Coordinator, people are
lured by quick fixes or discouraged by their progress, and this crowd
tends to revert to old habits—gaining back any weight they may have
lost, and then some.
Keeping your resolution for fitness or weight loss doesn’t have to
be an uphill battle. Developing good habits and practices that fit your
body and mind will make health goals easier to reach over time—and
help you keep the excess weight off. Kickstart a weight loss plan you’ll
stick to all year long, with some diet planning tips collected wellness
expert, Meghan Marr.
Strategize for dining out.
Have a plan before you go out to eat! Dodge empty calories and regulate
your intake by avoiding the bread and requesting a take-home container.
Restaurant portions are getting bigger all the time.
Slow down, chew more.
It takes approximately 20-30 minutes for your stomach to send signals
to your brain that you’re full, which can lead to overeating. Taking
time to chew and really enjoy your food will help you control eating habits
over time, says Marr.
Stay occupied while watching TV.
It’s easy to zone out and binge-eat junk food while sitting in front
of the television. Tweak your routine by swapping the chips for chewing
gum, or getting some ironing done instead of reaching for another snack.
Throw your feeding routine for a loop.
Eat with your non-dominant hand. Use smaller plates and cups. Swap the
fork for chopsticks. These are all tactics to “trick” your
brain into ultimately consuming less food, leading to incremental weight loss.
It’s okay to start slow with exercise.
A surefire way to sabotage your weight loss efforts is by doing too much
too quickly, running yourself ragged in the process or possibly injuring
yourself. Go easy at first and gradually add more to the routine. Marr
recommends the Walk-to-5k and Couch-to-5K program as a great way to incorporate
small amounts of exercise into your life until it becomes a habit.
By incorporating an exercise routine along with a mindful eating plan,
your New Year’s Resolution can become something that changes both
your body and your mind. Looking for more advice to kickstart the year?
If you are interested in losing weight, lowering your blood pressure or
lowering your blood sugar you might be interested in the Jump Start Weight
Loss Program. Call 704.834.3787to reserve your spot.