7 Ways to Kickstart Your Resolution to Get in Shape
Be Realistic
Don't declare a permanent embargo on carbs when you wake up on January 1st. The quickest way to dropping your diet is to give yourself crazy limitations, i.e. "I will start the day with two hours of pilates and a spin class, and subsist on nothing but grapes and rice cakes from now on." Pick one habit to break at a time--like mindless grazing or throwing back sodas instead of water.
Fix Your Mistakes
Before you fix your diet or fitness routine, you first have to figure out where you went wrong in the past. Track your daily calorie intake and exercise through a site like fitday.com for a clear picture of how many calories you're taking in and how many you're burning on a daily basis. You may find that your morning jogs are too short to make up for the croissant you have for breakfast, or that you can drop pounds if you cut back on your weekend alcohol intake.
Do What You Love
Find a workout you love. If you've been trying to embrace running for years but loathe every pavement-pounding minute of it, stop forcing it. You'll be more likely to stick with a workout routine that you enjoy. If you have pangs of jealousy every time Dancing with the Stars is on, take a dance class. If you love riding your bike, sign up for a spin class. Experiment until you find something that you can stand, or even like, and your ideal body will be within your reach.
Write Your Own Diet Plan
It might be tempting to start shedding the pounds by hooking onto something like the South Beach diet and declaring all carbs to be evil, but those strict rules get harder to follow as soon as real life starts interfering with your New Year's resolution glow. Devise your own healthy eating plan instead, based on your own schedule and food preferences.
Spread the Word
You don't have to send out a newsletter alerting your friends and family of your fat gram intake, but speaking up about your new habits is a great way to motivate yourself to keep at it, and maybe even get your friends to join in. If you turn down your friends' invitation to grab dinner at McClogged Arteries, mention that you're trying to eat a little healthier and suggest a different place instead. Or give your best friend a free weekend pass from your gym so she can join you for your spin class.
Drop the Deadline
Put away that calendar and stop forcing deadlines on your weight loss efforts. The scale can fluctuate for a lot of reasons, and isn't always a great measure of your success, especially if you're building muscle as you're losing weight. Telling yourself that you have to drop 20 pounds before your sister's wedding can set you up for failure if you weigh yourself on a day that you're retaining a few pounds of water weight. You can't always control what the scale tells you, but you can control how hard you work. Keep at it and you'll start feeling and seeing the results.
Give Yourself a Pat on the Back
It's so easy to talk smack about yourself if youskip your workoutsfor a few days, or give in to chocolate temptation--why not turn it around and give yourself the kudos you deserve when you're doing well? Don't wait until you lose 15 pounds or run a 5k race. Take notice of the small improvements you make, like being able to run up the stairs to your third-floor walkup without losing your breath, or taking the time to make yourself a healthy breakfast every day for a week. All of those small things are the things you weren't doing before, and they're all signs that you're on your way to a hotter, healthier you.
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