Have you gone off track already with your New Year’s resolution? Well, it’s not too late to do something about it. If you’re like many Americans, you started out the year with a resolution to shed those extra pounds. And this is understandable since over 66% of adult Americans are considered overweight or obese. The problem is that losing weight is easier said than done. We’re only one month into 2012 and many people are already watching their weight loss resolution circle the drain. Does this sound familiar; are you about to give up on your good intentions to get leaner this year?

Stop! It’s not too late to get back on track. I suggest a do-over. That’s right – a Weight Loss Resolution Re-Do. Before you throw in the towel, take a moment to see if you can figure out why you’re struggling. If I had to guess I would say it’s because your resolution is all about the end result with little consideration given to how you will get there. With some tweaking, we can fix that and get you moving in the right direction again.

Rather than focusing on the end result, I suggest you break down your resolution into smaller short-term goals that will be easier for you to manage. Ideally your goals will be realistic, sensible, and specific. Here are a few tips to help you set reasonable goals that will get you living leaner right now – and all the way to 2013.

Tip #1 – Be Realistic.

I know you want big results and you want them fast, but chances are it’s not going to happen that way. Believe me, if there was a quick fix, you would know about it and so would the rest of the world. So, rather than setting yourself up for failure with a large overwhelming goal, start small. For example, a very realistic goal would be to lose 2 – 4 pounds per month on average. I know what you’re thinking – that’s not much. But take a minute to think about it again. If you lose at that rate, you will be at least 25 pounds leaner this time next year – not bad! That’s not to say you can’t lose more; you certainly can. With a strong commitment and a healthy plan, you can safely lose more. The point is, set weight goals for yourself that are realistic so you don’t get frustrated, discouraged, and give up.

Tip #2 – Be Sensible.

It is near impossible to determine the exact amount of weight you will lose each week. Weight loss tends to vary from week to week; this is normal and it happens to everyone. Therefore, setting a specific pounds per week weight loss goal is not very sensible and will likely leave you feeling frustrated and discouraged in no time. A better approach is to set daily and weekly goals that are more within your control. For example, it’s a well-known fact that people who eat small meals and snacks throughout the day have more success at weight loss over the long haul. So, if you are someone who skips meals on a regular basis, start out by setting a goal for yourself to eat 3 meals every day at least 4 days per week. This is a sensible goal that you have control over and it will support long term weight loss.

Tips #3 – Be Specific.

If you don’t get specific with your eating and exercise goals, chances are they will fall apart. You know what I’m talking about. How many times have you set out to lose weight and decided to drink more water, eat less fat, or exercise more? Goals like this are vague and near impossible to measure. A better approach is to set specific daily and weekly goals that you can reliably measure. For example, specify exactly how many ounces of water you will drink each day, how many grams of fat you will consume daily, or how many minutes of exercise you will do every week. As much as this may seem tedious and unnecessary, being very specific with your eating and exercise goals makes them easier to accomplish.

Tip #4 -Lastly, Be Willing To Compromise.

If you are trying to lose weight, it’s definitely a good idea to make healthier eating choices – less greasy, salty, and sugary foods. Saying this is easy; doing it, however, can be very challenging. Therefore, it makes sense to compromise at times when you are working on your most challenging goals. For example, if you are someone who eats fast food for lunch every day, saying you will never do it again is too rigid. A goal like this is a set up for failure. An example of a more reasonable approach is to set a goal to bring a healthy lunch from home 3 days per week. This way you can begin to decrease the amount of fast food you consume, improve your overall eating habits, and lose weight quicker.

The key to successful weight loss is making changes in your eating and physical activity habits that you can keep up for the rest of your life. This starts out with setting goals for yourself that are realistic, sensible, and specific. And a little compromise in the right places can go a long way. You can do this!

Until next time, Eat and Be Well!

Lorraine

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