New Year's Resolutions

Happy New Year!!!!!!

It is that time of year again, Christmas is over, and the new year is here. So, tradition has it, you make a New Year's Resolution(s). I am convinced these are traditions more than a real resolve to change. Of course one of the most well intentioned and made resolutions is to lose weight, get healthy, become healthier or something along these lines. But, how many times have you tried this and not succeed?

Lets take several steps to break this down to help make your effects successful this New Year.

1. Losing weight, getting healthy, has to be relevant to you. What does this mean to you and for you? Getting healthy can mean entirely different things to all of us. You need to decide what it means to you so you know what goal you are striving for. Write it out.

2. Just saying you want to lose weight or get healthy is not something that is tangible, something you can wrap your head around, or something definitive. To be able to make a change, which is what needs to happen to lose weight and reclaim your health, it has to be definitive. When writing down what getting healthy is to you, figure out HOW you are going to accomplish your goal.

3. Make one change at a time. Pick one thing that is small and you can do with little effort. Something such as:
        drink a glass of water before any soda
        eat a piece of fruit, vegetable, nut, seed or healthy food before some type of processed junk food
        set a timer and every hour you are awake, do 5 squats, 5 lunges and 5 arm raises, stretch, be active for 5 minutes.
       go for a walk as a family every day.
      try one new home cooked recipe a week, something that is not processed, prepackaged or frozen.
After a month or several, what works best for you, add on another change. This is progressive. You will notice your changes will become easier to make and you will begin making some without even realizing you are making them, the beauty of this.
     
4. Celebrate your small goals. If you do not accomplish your small goals, you will not ever make it to the finish. Celebrate what you have set out to accomplish. no matter how small, you accomplished it and this makes you one step closer to your larger goal.

A lifestyle change takes time. You did not end up with the body you have or the eating you have over night. You have accumulated them over the years. It is going to take time to change them. If you fall, figure out what triggered your slip up, what happened and be prepared for the next time. Get back up, and try again. That is what life is all about, trying.

Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.

I hope you all have a very blessed New Year!
Jenn