Did you pick up a few extra pounds during the holiday season?  Are you looking to drop some weight as part of your New Year’s resolution?  Here are some tips to consider before you embark on that challenging endeavor called the diet!

Diet alone will not give you the best results.  Muscle tone and cardiovascular fitness are a vital part of looking and feeling your best.  A fitness routine will also speed your weight- loss.

Personal fitness is an individual recipe.  Focus on your body, not someone else’s.  Choose activities and menus that are a good match for you.  If you put some thought into your diet and fitness plan, tailoring it to fit your personality and lifestyle, you’ll want to stick with it because it feels good.  

Fitness isn’t a reward or a punishment.  Fitness is what you deserve because it is the way your body was made to function. With a fit body, you will experience more freedom and joy in all aspects of your life.

Of course, no fitness routine is complete without considering the amount of food you eat in relation to your activity level.  If you are serious about results, don’t overlook eating habits that hold you back.  Try to identify your food weaknesses and pinpoint the times of day you are most apt to overeat.  A food diary can be very helpful in holding yourself accountable for the dietary goals you have set.  When you have to write it down, you’ll think more carefully about your food choices.  Small changes in the way you eat can make big changes in the way you look and feel.

If you’re not the type of person to carry a food diary, try setting portion limits.  Use a smaller plate to ensure your portions match the plate.  Or, slow down and eat half of everything you normally eat.  It might be quite a surprise to find how satisfying a lesser portion can be if it is eaten slowly enough for your body to feel full.

Positive self-talk is vital to weight-loss and fitness success.  Try visualizing yourself looking the way you want to look.  A positive vision is much more effective than focusing on the extra layers you have in places you don’t appreciate. 

Most important, if you have momentary lapse in discipline, don’t give up.  You can always begin again.  It will be easier to keep your momentum if you aren’t busy beating yourself up for the lapse in progress.

Even small changes in diet and fitness efforts can make a big difference in the long run.  The good news is, the more positive things you do for yourself, the more you’ll want to do.

-Pam Brooks