Getting Back on Track
January 18, 2016New Year, New You … Sure. We all know the feeling around this time of year, the high motivation to start new habits and forget our bad ones…. forever! Studies show 45% of Americans set New Years resolutions and only 1/3 still have them going by the end of January. Is this you?
As a Registered Dietitian, I work with clients to focus on long-term, slow changes that they can really stick to. With that being said, the high motivation in January is great time to set some high goals for a shorter period of time. Say 3 weeks. It’s probably not likely for you to go from not working out at all to 5 days per week for the whole year. Or from eating sweets and desserts everyday to eating them never again. But we can jump start the year in January by getting back to what we know is healthy and figuring out what we learned to set more long-term goals for our future. Here are some of my recommendations for goals to try during January:
1. Avoid Alcohol during the week-
Many of us had holiday parties, happy hours and gatherings in December that contributed to extra calories and more weekday drinking. Get back to ‘healthy’ and avoid drinking during the week. Maybe consider your beverages on the weekends, too.
2. Commit to more water-
During the colder months, many of us tend to drink less water. Your body’s natural way of ‘cleansing’ is through your kidneys and being fully hydrated will help that process.
3. Ditch the sweet tooth … for now
I am a big advocate of having sweets on special occasions or when you really want them, but after December, lets get back on track! Dessert after every dinner and sweets throughout the day at work shouldn’t be the norm. What can you change here? Also consider looking at how much sugar is in products you already consume like yogurt, juice, bread and cereal.
4. Snack on fruits and veggies-
Home baked goods and high calorie appetizers are so common during the Holidays. Let’s get back to boosting our nutrition status with fruits and vegetables as snacks. For example, packing an apple and cheese, carrots and hummus or corn chips and guacamole are great ways to pack the nutrients without the added calories.
If you need individualized help, I work with people 1-on-1 to set realistic goals for weight loss and health in general. Email kclifford@kbfitnesssolutions.com and I’d be happy to meet with you. A Happy and Healthy 2016!
