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January 2008
5 Steps to Make New Year’s Resolutions Real, Part 1
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There are particular reasons why New Year’s resolutions don’t work. If you first understand why they fail, you can then gain a greater understanding to how you can make it work. Though, I am going to talk to you about how this relates to weight loss programs, you can apply it to almost any resolution at the New Year.
The following is an abbreviated version of my first three reasons.
Reason #1: Lack of Knowledge - Most of your information comes from marketers of weight loss products and programs. They do not have your best interest in mind (only their own as they count on you to crack out your credit card). So, you’re confused about what to do. To keep it simple, if you’re not participating in a program that includes resistance (weight) training, cardiovascular exercise, and supportive nutrition, then don’t do it.
Reason #2: Poor Planning - You must not only know how much weight you’re going to lose (the long term goal), but what steps you’re going to take to get there (short term goals). Most importantly, you must write these goals down and set them at a realistic expectation(s).
Reason #3: Lost Motivation - Sure, you can show up at the gym for a couple of weeks, but that does not create a pattern. You have to remain consistent to make it work. To keep the motivation up, you must keep expectations realistic, have an enjoyable environment to train, and if that doesn’t work- hire a professional trainer.
You can listen to the full version on my radio show, Click Here .
Feel free to share your New Year’s resolutions (that succeeded or failed) or thoughts, by commenting on this blog. Also, feel free to share anything you find funny or interesting about weight loss from the news or advertisers.
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Don’t Become a Victim to New Year’s Hype
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Well, just as you might have figured, the media and advertisers are bombarding you with all kinds of ideas about how to lose weight and get fit in 2008.
All of your major diet centers such as LA Weight Loss and Jenny Craig are using celebrities to promote their services. All of them touting that they lost all of their weight using “only” the diet center’s help. I mean, if a celebrity says it, it has to be true, right?
You’ll also see tons of ads about fitness equipment. One in paticular is the Total Gym. You know, the one that Chuck Norris advertises. What’s funny is that in their new ads, they talk about the obesity epidemic and the contribution to failed attempts to getting fit to exercise trends. The funny part is, the Total Gym is a part of that contribution. The belief that a piece of equipment is going to get you in shape is in itself, false advertising.
Point is, you are being flooded with different ideas and conflicting information about how to lose weight. My appeal to you is this, if any of these things worked, why is there always something “new” and why is there still an epidemic of obesity in this country? The answer is none of them work. Sure, you may lose weight in the short-term, however, long-term you will gain the weight back, plus some.
One of the main reasons this happens is quite simple. When you do the quick-fixes, you actually will train your body to hold on the body fat better. This is due to severely depleting your body of the nutrients and calories that it desperately needs. Yes, I said, “calories that is desperately needs!” When you rely on a piece of equipment, you still apply the wrong fitness methodology you need to get you in shape. You may wind up hurting yourself.
Without getting into too much detail, when you don’t get enough calories, you will use muscle protein as a source of energy. When that happens, your metabolism decreases. So, when you get off the diet, or start going back to your old eating habits, you “balloon!”
Decreasing calories, going on diets, taking pills, using exercise contraptions, doing a body wrap, et cetera, do not work. You must incorporate supportive nutritional habits in conjunction with the right kind of exercise.
Next week, I am beginning a series of blogs talking about what it takes to make you resolutions a reality. In the meantime, don’t become a victim of the hype. Take your time, do your research, and know that a resolution can become reality if you do the right thing and you make a true commitment.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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