Easy-to-follow ways to achieve your health and wellness goals

Most people make New Year’s resolutions. Most of these New Years resolutions are wishes for health, wealth, and happiness. There is something about a new year that makes people want to start off right and so they make resolutions.

The word “resolution” comes from the verb “to resolve,” which means to come to a solution or a decision about some puzzle or question. Frankly, most New Year’s resolutions are just wishes and not really resolutions because very few of them come true.

For resolutions to become reality, they must be more than just wishes, but actual action plans with action steps. Since health and fitness directly affect our personal well-being and the well-being of our families, we must make the decision to be fit and healthy.

But how?

Here are some ideas:

Know the state of your health. See your doctor before beginning any exercise or diet regimen. Get a complete checkup and tell your doctor about your health and weight loss goal. People often go on crash diets out of desperation that never have a happy ending. Be sure to choose a healthy eating plan that will allow for long-term success, so you don’t set yourself up for failure from the start.

Express your resolution as a principle. Let your resolution be the guiding principle that will define all the food and activity choices you make throughout the year. If you can, state it as a theme or a motivational phrase. The catchier and shorter it is, the easier it is to remember and the easier it is to use to discipline yourself and join forces against inactivity and excess weight. For example, if you use “Thin is in 2015,” it’s catchy, but not very accurate. A spaghetti noodle is skinny, but so is a flagpole. But if you phrase it as a command, “Lose 52 pounds in 2015.” It is no longer a desire or a longing, it is both a goal and an order.

Break it down into small tasks. 52 pounds is a big number. But then again, you have 12 months or about 52 weeks to lose those 52 pounds, which translates to about 4 and a quarter pounds every month of the year, or 1 pound every week. there you go You can review your resolution: “One pound a week in fifty-two weeks makes you lose fifty-two pounds in 2015.” One pound per week is not only a healthy rate of weight loss, it is also a very achievable goal.

Think of particular action plans.. Answer the question: how do you intend to lose a pound each week? This is where you have to think a lot.

  • You can’t starve yourself because starving yourself will boomerang into binging.
  • You cannot deprive yourself because deprivation can mean malnutrition.
  • You can’t abstain from all your favorite food because you will get frustrated.

Think in terms of what you can do rather than what you can’t do.

  • Substitute plain unsweetened tea for soda.
  • Substitute vegetable sticks and salsa for chips and salsa.
  • Eat fish and chicken instead of pork or beef.
  • Bake, boil or poach instead of frying.
  • Grill instead of sautĂ©ing.
  • Squeeze lemon juice and a little olive oil over the lettuce instead of using cream dressings.
  • Eat whole wheat bread instead of white bread.
  • Use the stairs instead of the elevator.
  • Walk to the market instead of taking the car.
  • Start a cardiovascular regimen or join a fitness class.

Find a training partner. It’s much easier to jog or walk when you’re with a friend—the mile goes faster because of the company and the conversation.

Make sure your sparring partner is someone who knows you well enough to be a drill sergeant when you feel lazy and need it; and a cheerleader when you’re feeling exhausted and need a helping hand.

continually challenge yourself. Take baby steps at first, but as you get stronger and more confident, lengthen your stride. If you tell yourself you’ll walk around the block before breakfast at first, do so until it becomes part of your routine (about a week or two) and when you’re no longer panting when you walk around the block, walk to the next block. and return

Gradually increase the amount of time you walk or walk more times around the block or go further and further until you build up stamina and strength. Once you get bored of walking, try jogging. And then running. Step up your game to keep things interesting.

Find ways to measure your progress. Keep a log on your refrigerator door and write down how many blocks you walked today. If you wear a pedometer, write down the number of steps you took each day. The feeling of accomplishment will fuel a greater determination to stick to your exercise or physical activity routine.

Also watch for weight loss and inches, this is more positive reinforcement that will keep you going.

designate a weightin day. If you weigh yourself every day, you are most likely in for an emotional roller coaster experience, as your bathroom scale reading is often affected by your daily grooming habits, the clothes you are wearing, and the amount of liquid you drink

Instead of going on a roller coaster experience, take a breather and weigh yourself once a week or once every two weeks.

Reward yourself. If you lose 5 pounds, enjoy a movie. Surely a 20 pound loss is worth your favorite perfume bottle or new gadget? Whatever the reward, remember to choose something meaningful, rewards reinforce behavior, which can keep you on track for the long term!

Be kind, loving and patient with yourself. Be your own cheerleader and your own drill sergeant. Hug yourself when you feel disappointed that you didn’t reach a milestone. Give yourself good advice and talk about yourself so you don’t give up. Cheer up to get back to normal.

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