GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — It's that time of year again. Time to face up to the fact that you're not really going to live up to those outrageous New Year's resolutions, such as: I am never going to eat Chunky Monkey ice cream again, I am going to quit smoking cold turkey starting tomorrow, or I am going to work out every day.

Let's be real, how many of us can stick to resolutions like that?

Most people don't have the willpower to live up to such self-expectations. The more drastic your resolution is, the more you are setting yourself up for failure.

There are ways, however, to avoid being a resolution dropout. Most health experts agree, the best way to stick with it is to set realistic goals.

The most common New Year's resolutions are to lose weight and get in shape. It is commonly known that to get in shape you need to exercise regularly and eat healthfully. This creates an annual rat race to health clubs during the month of January.

"It's like our Christmas season," said Neil Bradford, general manager for Crossroads Fitness Centers. "We usually see a 30 percent increase in general traffic."

The New Year's resolutioners are easy to spot. They are vigorously working the Stairstepper, sweat pouring over their stark-white Nike headband, and they usually smell like new Spandex.

Most of these overzealous gym bunnies don't last long. About a month after the new year, the workout machine waits begin to diminish and you can actually get a spot in the yoga class.

"People need to realize this is something that you do the rest of your life," Bradford said. "It's a life-changing commitment. Everyone is going to have times where they lapse. Don't quit, just get back into it."

Bradford said the best way to stick to your resolution is to work your exercise schedule around your life -- don't make it your life. Most people can't realistically work out seven days a week, nor should they. Too much physical activity can actually weaken your immune system, he said.

On average, moderate to heavy exercise three times a week will improve your physiological and psychological well-being. Bradford said that an average of five hours of exercise a week will help keep you fit.

But exercise alone might not help you conquer your resolutions. "You can't just work out and then eat whatever you want and expect to get results," Bradford said. "They are interrelated; tackle them both."

Every year there is a new diet or supplement that is supposed to make you lose weight fast. But these may not be the best techniques for long-term health.

"People who are starting out need to avoid the fad diets," said Sandy Paulson, a registered dietician who works for St. Mary's Hospital and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

"Get away from the word diet," Paulson said. "It's much better to look at the whole picture and find things that you are going to stick to, versus losing 20 pounds."

A recent study by the U.S. Agriculture Department found that any diet that limits food to around 1,500 calories per day produces short-term weight loss.

But those diets don't help other weight-related health problems, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure.

Calorie intake and weight loss will vary depending on the dieter, Paulson said. For an approximation of a healthy, daily caloric intake, multiply your body weight by 10. If you are regularly exercising strenuously, you may want to increase this amount she said.

Eating plans like low carbohydrate/high protein diets can lead to rapid weight loss, but these are typically the hardest diets to maintain and can lead to inadequate nutrition, Paulson said.

"Is it realistic to not eat any carbohydrates? If so, can you do that for the rest of your life and is it healthy?" she said. "Any diet that leaves out major food groups is not well balanced, so it's not healthy."

Paulson said that, on average, a person should consume a minimum of 100 grams of carbohydrates a day. Again, this recommendation can vary from person to person, depending on activity levels. One piece of bread, white or whole grain, has about 15 grams of carbohydrates.

"Moderation is the key to everything," Paulson said. "Include all food groups on a daily basis and don't overeat."

The Department of Agriculture recommends consuming no more than 30 percent of calories as fat, limiting protein to about 20 percent and consuming more fruits, vegetables and complex carbohydrates to help satisfy hunger with fewer calories.

Paulson agreed that eating fruits and vegetables is important. The best solution to maintaining a healthy weight and good nutrition is to eat four or five small meals a day, representing all of the food groups.

The next expectation that resolutioners need to face is how much time their goals will take. Many will quit because they expect results within a couple of weeks.

The first six weeks of exercise you will feel physiological changes, such as better sleep patterns, more energy and less illness, said Melissa Briscoe, certified athletic trainer/fitness trainer at Crossroads Downtown. The physical changes will come after those initial six weeks, she said.

"People can't lose weight that fast," Briscoe said. "You have a set point in which your body can gain or lose 5 to 10 pounds. When you lose a lot dramatically, you will dramatically gain it back." Another helpful tip: Keep your mind off the scales.

"Don't have it be about weight loss," Briscoe said. "Have it be a lifestyle change to feeling better about yourself. It will come with time."

Changing habits to eating more healthfully also will take time. Paulson recommends starting small to obtain your final resolution.

"Set goals that are achievable and you will go farther," she said. "Don't set goals all at one time."

Nutrition myths

Myth: The best way to lose weight is to cut out or extremely lower your intake of carbohydrates.
Fact: Lowering your carbohydrates can cause rapid weight loss. But it is unhealthy to cut them completely out. It is also unrealistic to think that you can cut them out indefinitely.

Myth: Skipping meals is an easy way to lose weight fast.
Fact: Definitely not! Skipping meals can lower will power to stick with your health plan. It can also lead to over-consumption at your next meal.

Myth: Pasta, potatoes and other starchy foods are fattening.
Fact: These foods are rich sources of carbohydrates and are not innately fattening. Carbohydrates contain only 4 calories per gram, while fats contain 9 calories per gram. These foods become fattening by the things that you add to them like, butter, sour cream, gravy or cheese.

Myth: Protein builds muscles.
Fact: Training and exercise build muscles. If excess calories are consumed from protein, carbohydrates or fat the excess is stored as fat, not muscle.

Myth: Fast food is always bad for you.
Fact: While most fast food is high in fat and cholesterol, there are increasingly more healthy choices available. Order a grilled chicken sandwich as opposed to a fried sandwich, or a side salad instead of fries. Willpower can make it a healthy diet choice.

Myth: You can determine if you lost weight by stepping on a scale.
Fact: Muscle weighs more than fat. You may be the same weight or gain weight and actually have less body fat. The more important thing is the amount of body fat versus lean body tissue.

Myth: I can just go on a diet whenever I need to lose weight.
Fact: Dieting for a short time does not always result in sustained weight loss. "Yo-yo dieting," repeatedly losing and gaining weight, can be dangerous. The best way to lose weight is to maintain weight loss to adopt an overall healthy lifestyle.

Anna Beaty writes for the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel

Source: The Fitness Expert Nutrition Guide, by Fitness Expert Inc.