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New Year, New You: Plan Now to Achieve a Healthier Weight

You start the year with the best intentions. But within a few months — or a few weeks — those resolutions drop by the wayside. 

Alan Lakein, the author of several self-help books published in the 1970s, said that “failing to plan is planning to fail.” We are often unsuccessful because we’ve not taken the precautions necessary to succeed. 

New Year’s resolutions are often the embodiment of this. We think, come Jan. 1, that everything will just fall in place. We’ll wake up, maybe pop a couple of ibuprofen to dispense with the previous evening’s festivities, and begin the work of remaking ourselves to be a better, healthier, happier person. 

“This year will be different,” you tell yourself. And with a little preparation, it might actually be.

Losing weight is the goal that helps gyms sell tons of seldom-used memberships every year. It’s essential to get ready now to make the most of your renewed passion for this goal.

  • Plan Ahead. It’s hard to strap on your running shoes first thing on Jan. 1 — especially if you don’t actually have a pair of running shoes (or any other cold-weather workout clothing for that matter). Dig through your closet for your running shoes and make sure they still fit comfortably.
  • Know Your Goals. You keep yourself accountable by setting goals that are specific, realistic — and forgiving. Don’t plan to “exercise regularly”; plan to exercise for 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Know how much weight you want to lose and how long it should take you, anticipating an average weight loss of two pounds per week. And if you stall or don’t hit your goals, don’t beat yourself up. You’ll get there eventually.
     
  • Change Your Diet Now. Your diet should not be a temporary fad, like cutting out all carbs or eating only raw veggies. It should be sustainable and healthy. Now’s the time to start making the changes so that you’re dietary habits are ready for Jan. 1. Go ahead and cut out the sugary beverages and increase your intake of water. Look up recipes online for healthy dishes you can start learning to prepare (a lot of healthy recipes can be found for free in Tanner’s online Health Library, under the Get Healthy, Live Well tab at tanner.org).
     
  • Chart Your Progress. Use a graph to monitor your weight. Losing weight is a slow process, and having a visual representation of how far you’ve come (aside from the notches you’re moving up in your belt), you’ll be motivated to keep going. How often you chart your weight is up to you, but keeping track helps keep you accountable and can help keep you moving in the right direction. And if you don’t feel like breaking out the graph paper and a ruler, there are plenty of free apps for your smartphone that will do the charting for you; just download and start logging your weight.
     
  • Learn All You Can. Visit GetHealthyLiveWell.org and find tons of information about ways you can start battling the bulge. Take the time to go ahead and sign up for a free class to help you learn to focus on your health, or find a free health education event nearby. You’ll find information and motivation.
     
  • Make Time to Unwind. One reason resolutions don’t stick is because we tend to lose sight of them with everything else going on. Yoga, meditation and the Chinese martial art of tai chi can help you keep your health in focus. Get Healthy, Live Well’s Tai Chi for Health program can help you keep your healthy weight in perspective and let you find plenty of other positive people who share your priorities.

Need more advice on achieving a healthier weight? Check out GetHealthyLiveWell.org for upcoming classes and events, health information, success stories and more to keep you going on your journey all year long!

Get Healthy, Live Well




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