Hope for the New Year!

Hope.  It is a word I hear (and say) often. Especially during the New Year!

But I am here to tell you that the vocabulary must change. It should be I must, I expect, I WILL!! In our crazy “technology warped, fast-paced” world, we just keep sitting back and waiting.  Waiting for that perfect partner, waiting for that perfect job, waiting for that perfect temperature to come up while trying to get pregnant.

The same goes for that ever-so-popular-new-years-resolution: weight loss.  It can really cause a lot of unwanted stress when we think about it, right? Questions arise, doubts clutter our minds and you get an awful feeling in your stomach just thinking about what you have to give up just to lose those unwanted pounds.  (Scream!!!!)

To begin the new year, I am going to give you some ideas to get your mind set first.  Once the mind is heading in the right direction, weight loss can be more achievable.

• Be specific about your goal.  Example: I want to (lose 10 pounds) by (May 30th) because (it’s my 10th wedding anniversary celebration).
• Break it down into small increments.  What are you going to do? Example: Begin getting up 30 minutes early starting on Sunday, January 6th to exercise, at least three times per week.  Don’t stop there, you should have 3-5 small steps to get you to your goal.
• Vow to add something healthy to your day.  Example: I will eat an extra serving of my favorite vegetable everyday.  Note: This could actually be one of the “small increments” from above, but I find it to be such an important aspect to healthy weight loss, I feel it needs it’s own bullet. 🙂
• I know I have said this before, Write It Down! Someone once told me that it is only a dream until you write it down.  In its written form it becomes a goal, something achievable, something that will get done with your devoted time.
• What keeps you motivated? Yes, again, write down some thoughts as to why you want to lose this weight by that particular date.  Example: I want to lose those 10 pounds because I want to fit into the dress I saw in Vogue.  Or what about a healthy motivation: I want to lose those 10 pounds because I know it will improve my cardiovascular health, giving me better ability to run with my children.
• Reassess daily and weekly.  At the end of each day see what worked and what didn’t.  Strive harder towards your goals the next day.  Then at the end of the week, do the same and this is when you make your tweaks where they are needed.

Remember, your weight gain did not happen overnight, so the weight loss won’t come off that quick either. Try a new approach this New Year. Stay calm, breathe and know that you are in control.  If needed, invest in a personal trainer and/or dietitian to help you along your journey.  Or maybe a close friend to hold you accountable.  Either way, attaining those goals will give you amazing gratitude and an immense feeling of accomplishment! See it! Expect it! Know it will happen!