New Year's Resolutions- a WEIGHTy Issue

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2012, the year that holds the potential to be your HEALTHIEST yet! Virtually every list of top 10 New Year's Resolutions leads off with the battle of the bulge- whether it is "lose weight", "get fit", "eat healthy", "join weight watchers", "join a gym" or some other variation. With the vast majority of Americans falling into the "OVERWEIGHT" or "OBESE" categories, these resolutions certainly make sense. Unfortunately, many of us fight the SAME 10, 20, or even 30-plus pounds over and over again. We get motivated, make healthy changes, lose weight...and then gain it back. Ugh. What might we do differently this year?
Here is some food for thought...

1. Figure out the WHY of your eating behaviors, and learn to eat MINDFULLY. Dr. Michelle May's book "Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat" is a FABULOUS start- buy it today. Her focus is how to break the "eat, repent, repeat cycle". AMEN.

2. Speaking of buying- let's put our money where our mouth is- literally! I have heard over and over again that it's too expensive to meet with a dietician, join a gym, or eat fresh fruits & vegetables, or take up a new sport, yet these same people are spending far more discretionary money on their daily Starbucks, hair highlights or a round of golf. Seriously, we need to prioritize our health and be willing to pay for it!

3. Commit to ONE small permanent change each month. Experts say it takes 21 days to cement a new habit, so why not make 2012 the year to develop 12 new healthy habits? Start with something simple, like making sure you eat breakfast every day OR (assuming this was not part of your routine already.) In this case, it can be a granola bar or a cup of yogurt. Remember to keep it simple. If you try to make a change from no breakfast to cooking a veggie omelette and drinking freshly squeezed grapefruit juice- well, I'm not optimistic it will stick!

Whatever you choose, find a way to make yourself accountable. Make a deal with a friend, tell your co-workers, announce it to your family (if you have teens, they will HAPPILY hold you accountable), or simply record it on your smart phone, computer or an old fashioned piece of paper.

BOTTOM LINE: Make 2012 the year you make your New Year's Resolutions last beyond Janaury, and choose GOOD HEALTH!