Weight Loss: New Year's Resolution to Lose Weight

Healthy weight is necessary to maintain good health. It is easy to make a New Year resolution regarding losing weight. However, it is not easy to implement the resolution if you are not realistic about your goals and plans.

Remember it does not make sense to wake on January 1st and say "I will start the day with an hour of exercise, have only fruit salad for breakfast, parboiled vegetables for lunch, an apple and a cup of sugarless tea in the evening and rice cakes for dinner."

If this is your strategy, you will not keep your promise for more than a week. Instead of losing weight, you will be gaining weight in a month's time. Take a glance at some tips to help you shed weight.

It is a reality that you cannot lose weight in a day or two. Take one day at a time to reach your goal. Remember, you did not gain the extra weight in a couple of days. Probably it took many years, so it is going to take some time to shed all the unwanted weight.

If you are expecting to see a weight loss plan to show its effect in a couple of days, it is not going to work at all. This will make you think losing weight is a herculean task.

A point worth taking note of here is, do not fall for the advertisements that say "Lose 30 pounds in a month." It is a way of attracting you to sign up for the weight loss program. You also need to know that a fad diet will not help you to meet your goals.

Be realistic about your goal settings. Remember, as you grow old certain changes are bound to take place in your body. You cannot hold on to the resolution that you made 10 years back. It is wise to make a new resolution and set a realistic goal to match your current body condition.

Your health condition must be considered when you make a New Year resolution to reduce weight. For instance, make a resolution to lose weight by 15% of your current weight. Break down your goal into small chunks to make it easier. This approach will ensure you can achieve your New Year's resolution.

If you are unable to decide on your diet plan or an exercise regime, approach a professional dietitian. Plan your meals for a week, instead of planning for a month. This will break the monotony of having the same kind of food every week.

However, you should plan on how to distribute the calories for an entire month. For this you will need to plan a daily diet regime and decide on whether you want to have a heavy breakfast, a light lunch and/or a very light dinner.

Shedding the gained weight will take some time. So, if you try to follow strict rules and a harsh diet plan, then losing weight may be strenuous. Plan out your own diet schedule as per your work timings and food preferences, instead of the diet tips of South Beach diet or low-carb diet. This will help you to carry on with your New Year's resolution.

Suppose you were not able to work out for a day, it is not necessary you need to cover up for the previous day by exercising on the next day. Remember each day is a new day. Choose an exercise, which you love to do. For instance, if you hate going out for a walk in the morning; do not go. What suits another person need not necessarily suit you.

High fiber foods are not only filling but also rich in vitamins and minerals. Make it a habit to end your meal with a fruit instead of a high calorie dessert. Start out on this practice slowly and soon it will become a lasting habit.

"Slow and steady wins the race"; this proverb holds true, even when your resolution is to lose weight. Whether it is planning your diet or choosing your exercises do not push yourself beyond a certain limit. Initially, the idea is novel, as time goes by you will burn out.

As time passes, the exercises will become strenuous and the diet will seem tasteless; finally you will think of giving up the resolution. Instead, practice those exercises that you are comfortable with. For instance, on the days you run four miles, it is not necessary you have to do your Ab exercises. The same goes for your diet.

Incorporate one healthy food at a time. Once you get into a healthy eating habit, you will discover there are a wide variety of health foods that you will enjoy eating. This will help you to overcome the urge of eating fried foods such as French fries, potato wafers and so on.

At the end of each week, take time to review your entry. This will help you to understand whether you are on the right track or whether you have strayed away from the diet and exercise plans. On the last day of each month, take your body weight and write it down. Even a small reduction in weight will inspire you to continue with your weight loss regime.

If you have been eating healthy meal for a month without fail or once you start noticing that you have lost weight, you should treat yourself to a movie or visit a theme park. It is not necessary to wait until you have lost 10 pounds, before you reward yourself.

To sum up, if you set a fitness goal and follow the tips given here, you will lose weight and be able to accomplish your New Year's resolution.