I wish I could bottle the hope and motivation that comes with the new year because in six weeks, when the excitement has long worn off, I would pop the top for a new dose of inspiration.

The gym is packed the first and second week of January then the crowds start to taper off by the end of the month. The gym regulars breath a sigh of relief that there's no longer a wait for their favorite bench, but it doesn’t have to be this way.

Anti-Resolutions for Better Results

For flashback Friday I dig deep in the archives to share a post you may have missed the first time around. You can catch up on blogs from the past and it allows me the opportunity to add new thoughts to existing concepts. This week we are revisiting a post I wrote last year about anti-resolutions that you can make instead of the traditional resolutions to get better results:

Don't join a gym
Don't resolve to lose weight
Resolve to make slow progress
Resolve to ignore the scale
Don't go on a diet

You can read the explanation on each of them in this post, 5 New Year anti-resolutions that seems counter-intuitive, but get results.

RIGHT RESOLUTIONS, WRONG APPROACH

Everyone has big goals leading up to January first, and that is great. Still, most people abandon their resolutions before Valentine's day because they make the right kinds of goals and resolutions, but attempt to go about them the wrong way.

Resolutions that involve drastic changes in lifestyle don't usually last. If you haven't been to the gym in a year, you're unlikely to follow through with a six day a week plan.

If your diet involves frequent trips through the drive-through and delivery food, you're not likely to adjust well to a seven day a week meal-prepped Tupperware of chicken and broccoli.

I am not suggesting you can't make changes, or that you shouldn't try, just that it usually more effective to ease into new changes to your lifestyle.

HOW TO MAKE CHANGES THAT STICK WITH YOUR WORKOUTS

If you haven't been to the gym in a year, plan to go twice the first week, and probably the second week. Once the soreness wears off, you may be ready to add a third day by the end of the month. By Valentine's day instead of throwing in the sweat towel, you can add a fourth day.

If you don't like the gym or are not sure what to do once you get there, joining a gym may not be the best choice for you. The key is to find something you enjoy (or can at least tolerate) that is sustainable for life. There are many ways to build strength, lose fat, and improve health that doesn't involve stepping one foot in the gym.

If you like the gym, then join, but make sure you have a plan to get results. Randomly working on machines or lifting weights without a structured program won't be a productive use of your time. Wasting time in the gym with unfocused workouts won't get results. When you don’t see results, you’re more likely to quit. Hire a coach or trainer if you need help to fast track results.

HOW TO MAKE CHANGES THAT STICK WITH NUTRITION

If you want to improve your eating habits, start with breakfast. Focus on making improved breakfast choices for two weeks. Work to eliminate or reduce processed or convenience foods, be sure to eat adequate protein and eat enough calories to sustain you until lunch. Once a nutritious breakfast becomes a habit after a few weeks, start working on lunch.

Can you pack a lunch from home? Improve your choices when you go out? Increase vegetables and protein? Work on improving lunches for a few weeks. Then progress to dinner, snacks, alcohol intake, soda intake, etc. If you tried to change all your meals and habits all at once, your body and mind likely would revolt. This slow and sustainable way allows you to make changes one at a time, and after some time, you would have overhauled your whole lifestyle, just not all a once.

HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT(AND KEEP IT OFF) IN THE NEW YEAR

If you want to lose weight in the new year, extreme diets and excessive exercise is never the answer.

Is your new year resolution to lose weight and keep it off in the new year? These are my top three tips in order of importance. Can't do all three at once? Start with number one, master it for a month, then add in number two. Are you catching a trend? Slow changes are more sustainable than drastic changes.

Calorie and portion control. You lose weight when you consume fewer calories than you burn. If you improve the quality of the food that you eat (you are less likely to overeat unprocessed foods), chew slowly, and stop eating when you feel nearly full, you'll be working toward better, long-term sustainable results than that crash diet, cleanse, or detox. It's not exciting but simple and effective.
Perform resistance training and eat enough protein to sustain muscle. The more muscle you carry around, the higher your metabolism, which means the more you can eat and not gain weight. You don't have to train to pack on the muscle, but do just enough strength training that you don't lose muscle when you lose weight. Two to three times a week of a full-body strength program with moderate weight is enough to sustain and build muscle. Aim to eat whole-food protein at each meal and snack.
Move more. Build more movement into your day. Track your steps and challenge yourself to improve the number of steps you take each day. Take the stairs, walk your dog, walk the neighbor's dog, and make exercise a regular part of your life. Extreme exercise not required.

I wish you all the health, happiness and success in the new year. I am here to help if you have questions! Happy new year, friends! Here’s to another great year.

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