Your Top Five For Success with New Year’s Resolutions
So… how are those resolutions coming along?
Did you know that 25% of Americans don’t even stick with their goals for a single week[1]?
Whether you’re an athlete focused on losing that extra weight you’ve put on during your off-season, a weekend warrior with the goal to make regular exercise a higher priority or busy executive simply trying to make better food choices, chances are strong that you’re right along side the 160 million Americans[2] who are either obese or overweight and targeting their own health, fitness and wellbeing as part of their resolutions for 2016.
The question, however, is what is going to be the thing that makes all the difference for this year compared to all the rest?
For some, it’s a result of setting unrealistic goals with parameters that are far too rigid and when it comes to dieting in particular, we tend to take it to a whole new extreme.
With a failure rate of nearly 100%[3], it’s clear that we’re beating our heads against the wall time and time again, doing the same old thing but expecting different results.
We’re inundated with eating trends, fad diets, quick fixes, pills, powders and mixes on a daily basis, everywhere we look.
But again…it’s not working.
What’s the answer?
Below are my top five must-do tasks to ensure that 2016 really will be your year to achieve the health, fitness and wellbeing goals you’ve been trying to address unsuccessfully all this time.
- Get simple: go back to basics.
How about if we focused on eating foods that are local and in season where we live? Imagine an eating regime where the all we need to do is remember to enjoy a balance of ethically sourced protein combined with a healthy portion of veggies and a good dose of natural fats? And the only thing to avoid would be highly processed, refined, GMO food by-products that are now all too common in our marketplace.
This very approach is what I’ve used myself for years, as well as with hundreds of clients around the globe and it truly is the only approach I’ve found that works. Results include weight loss, reduction or elimination of allergies, lowered blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels as well as decreased chances of developing Type 2 diabetes.
So what’s the downside?
Only one: it takes patience.
Following a real paleo-inspired regime won’t result in someone losing ten pounds in one week, the way some fad diets may promise, but it will create a slow, steady and safe way to peel off those pounds while improving your overall health simultaneously.
- Eat more good fat.
Harvard study[4] volunteers who followed moderate or high-fat diets lost just as much weight, and in some studies a bit more, as those who follow low-fat diets, yet without the restrictive feel of a diet. More olive oil, please!
- Move more.
While this is hardly a novel suggestion, the bottom line is that the more active you are, the more likely you’ll be to feel better and make healthier food choices. The key is finding while type of exercise truly floats your boat! Don’t forget, exercise should be fun and playful, not punitive.
- Get enough sleep.
Studies show not getting at least five and a half hours sleep per night can significantly impact your body’s ability to produce growth hormone, which results in increased risk for major chronic diseases, including obesity and diabetes[5].
- Bring the calm.
Mediate, practice yoga, or simply add a five-minute session of breath work to your day in order to tune in and begin to create calm. By adding breathing exercises, you can influence asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure function and overall stress. Studies show that people who practice breathing exercises who already have those conditions also benefit.[6]
[1] “It’s a Week into January and a Quarter of Us Have Already Abandoned Our New Year’s Resolutions.” Washington Post. The Washington Post, n.d. Web. 03 Jan. 2016
[2] “The Whole World Is Getting Fatter, New Survey Finds – NBC News.” NBC News. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Jan. 2016
[3] “95% Regain Lost Weight.” US News. U.S.News & World Report, n.d. Web. 03 Jan. 2016.
[4] Sacks FM, Bray GA, Carey VJ, et al. Comparison of weight-loss diets with different compositions of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. N Engl J Med. 2009;360:859-73.
[5] Prigeon RL, Kahn SE, Porte D Jr. Changes in insulin sensitivity, glucose effectiveness, and B-cell function in regularly exercising subjects. Metabolism. 1995;44:1259-1263
[6] “Just Breathe: Body Has A Built-In Stress Reliever.” NPR. NPR, n.d. Web. 03 Jan. 2016.
