Are you determined to lose weight in 2012? Some people are worried that 2012 is going to be the end of the world, but why don’t we decide instead to make it the year to end your excess pounds? It’s easy to make New Year’s resolutions, of course, and not always so easy to keep them. But if you take the right approach, you can lose quite a bit of weight in the coming year!
If you’re like most people, you tend to overeat around the holiday season. This includes the entire period from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. To make things worse, it can be harder to find time to exercise during the holidays. Then, after New Year’s, we often have the excuse that the weather is too extreme to leave the house! That’s not true for everyone, of course, -but unless you’re one of the lucky ones who lives in a place with mild winters, it can be a challenge to run or even drive to the gym in the middle of January or February.
I’m writing this article a little before the new year, but I’m going to assume that you’re reading it after the holidays and you’re wondering how to fulfill your resolution to lose weight this year. So if it’s still pre-New Year’s when you see this, just keep it handy for use in a few more weeks!
Post Holiday Dieting
First of all, if you gained weight during the holidays -or simply failed to lose any- don’t waste any time blaming yourself or feeling sorry for yourself. That doesn’t solve anything. In fact, some people actually use this kind of self pity as an excuse not to diet after the holidays are over! Don’t let yourself fall into this trap. It’s a new year, and a chance for you to develop new habits.
Don’t attempt to achieve a miracle in a few weeks. Life being what it is, it’s not usually as easy to lose weight as it is to gain it. So it may take a little time to work off any extra pounds that you packed on at the end of the year. Don’t fret about this, just accept it. Be willing to take it slowly, and lose a little weight at a time.
You may want to try a certain diet, either one you’re familiar with or a new one. That’s up to you, and I’m not going to recommend a specific diet for you right now. But, whatever diet you choose -or, if you prefer to just try to “wing it” without a formal diet (often the best approach, in my opinion)- try to keep the following guidelines in mind.
*** Reduce or eliminate junk food -you’ve heard this before, but it’s important. If you’re completely addicted to a certain type of junk food, have it once per week.
*** Eat whole grains instead of white flour -this includes bread and pasta -it may take time to get used to it, but in a week or two you’ll develop a taste for the healthier, whole grain varieties.
*** Drink healthy beverages -water (naturally), green tea, yerba mate, herbal tea, perhaps a glass of wine per day; coffee is ok in moderation, preferably black. Avoid soda (even diet soda), sweetened drinks and even too much fruit juice.
*** Fruits and Vegetables -everyone tells you to eat more of these, so start doing it!
Experiment with new ones that you don’t usually eat; the more vegetables you put on your plate, the less room they’ll be for more fattening stuff.
*** Start your large meals off with vegetable soup or broth; it’s nutritious, and will help fill you up before you eat the main dish.
*** Eat more slowly; you’ll enjoy it more, consume less, and digest it more efficiently.
These are just some basic points to keep in mind, no matter what diet you’re on. Now, let’s take a look at the other major component of weight loss -exercise.
Your Post Holiday Exercise Program
As noted, it can be challenging to start or resume an exercise program in winter. Between the weather and a general inclination to be lazy and stay indoors, it can be difficult to summon up the needed motivation to burn off those calories. It’s probably even in our genes to be sluggish in the winter, just as many animals hibernate.
Here are some tips to help get you moving around, even on the coldest winter days:
*** Start the day off with exercise, whether it’ s a stationary bike, jogging, a mini trampoline (you should try one of these!), jump rope or calisthenics that require no machinery.
*** Take a class you enjoy -it could be a type of dance, power yoga (the best kind for burning calories) or anything else that motivates you to leave the house or make an extra stop after work.
*** Walk more -if it snows a lot where you are, get a pair of snow shoes. Walk to the store, around a nearby park or whatever’s convenient. Cross country skiing is another possibility!
*** Don’t neglect resistance training -research shows that working out with weights, or machines burns off fat even more efficiently than aerobics, so make sure you do this regularly.
*** Team up with a friend -fitness and weight loss is more fun when you have a partner, and it can be very motivational to have someone to work out with. You can also help encourage one another if either of you is feeling discouraged or lazy!
The above tips for losing weight are, of course, valid all year long, but they can especially useful right after the holidays. Whether you lost or gained weight over the holidays -or remained exactly the same- is no longer important. It’s a new year, and time to start over.
Don’t think of weight loss as a gigantic, steep mountain that looms ahead of you. Focus rather on the small next step that you have to take today. You already know how to lose weight -the only question is, are you ready to really do it this year?
