7 Helpful Ways to Keep Up With Your New Year’s Weight Loss Resolutions
So your holidays were spent with family and friends, sharing laughs, catching up on milestones, and eating. Lots of eating. January rolled around and you’d decided it was time to shed those extra pounds.
But now it’s February. Staying on track with your New Year’s weight loss resolution can seem like a scary task. There’s more information than ever before regarding weight loss and it can be difficult to know where to start. Here are some tips to kick-start your weight loss journey:
1. Calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
Your Basal Metabolic Rate will determine how many calories you are burning in a given day. Using this information will be helpful in designing a meal plan that helps you meet your weight goals.
Here’s a link to a BMR calculator that also takes your activity level into consideration. Your caloric needs will differ depending on the nature of work and exercise. This is a great place to start your New Year’s resolution!
2. Read nutrition labels on foods
Manufacturers are smart. They will slap the nutrition labels out of sight. Some foods that are marketed as “healthy” can actually be high in calories, sugars, and fats. Be sure to inspect the back, sides and bottom of every item of food to find the nutrition information. Examine the label carefully and determine for yourself if you consider the food to be healthy.
Be extra aware of the portion size. Many labels will give the illusion their food is within reasonable and healthy metrics, but the portions will be unrealistically small. Don’t be fooled!
Here’s a nifty guide from the FDA on how to read the nutrition labels on food.
https://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/ucm274593.htm#overview
3. Exercise in small ways
Getting to the gym for weight lifting and aerobic routines can be tough for many of us. Instead, make mindful efforts to stay active throughout the day. And if you’re having trouble thinking of some creative ideas, try these:
- Park farther away from the entrance in the parking lot
- Ditch the elevator ride and take the stairs
- Take five minutes every hour to stretch and walk around
- Take the dog out for an extra walk
4. Eat in
Forget the pricey meals and save money! What a concept!
Cooking can be a fun way to express your creative side and relieve the stress of the day. There are a bunch of healthy recipes available online today that give restaurant-quality taste for half the butter and calories.
Make cooking a family activity to encourage children, significant others, and family to be conscious of what is going into their food. Nothing tastes better than a meal made over memories.
5. Portion Meals in Advance
If you know you are going to have a busy day take a few moments the night before to prepare a healthy lunch and snack. It’s easy to make unhealthy decisions when pressed for time or running from meeting to meeting. Having the convenience of a healthy pre-made meal will increase your chances of sticking to your goals.
https://www.cleaneatingmag.com/meal-plans
6. Don’t bring junk food into the house!
Avoiding junk food can be the hardest part for some. Here are two things to keep in mind at the grocery store:
- Do your grocery shopping when full. This will temper those cravings for the cookies and other goodies.
- Stick to the perimeter of the store. The inside aisles are primarily processed foods, while the outer ring of the store has healthy staples like eggs, veggies, and chicken.
7. Weight Loss Surgery
If you try these methods and still cannot find success in losing weight you may be a candidate for weight loss surgery.
Weight loss surgery has been proven to be an effective weight loss option for many people. The vast majority of patients lose a third of their weight in the first year alone. But simply losing the weight is not the impressive part. It’s keeping the weight off for years to come that matters.
If you are interested in learning more about weight loss surgery please sign up for our free weight loss surgery seminar!