Looking to Shape Up and Slim Down After the Holidays?

The holidays are officially over {well, unless my upcoming birthday counts as a holiday...which it kinda does}.  If you stayed on track with good eating and exercise habits over the past few months, or if you're part of the New Years' Weight Loss Resolution Gang ~ it's never a bad time to be reminded of smart ways to drop pounds or maintain a healthy weight and body.

People are always looking for a magic pill or latching on to a crazy fad diet {no, you should not eat nothing but grapefruit or cabbage soup for a week...at least, not if you like a regularly-functioning metabolism}.  No one wants to believe the plain, simple, scientific truth ~ it all boils down to making smart food choices and carving out time for exercise.  WeightWatchers.com has compiled a four-part list to get you started on your way to a fit and healthy 2012.


1.  Don't get discouraged by weight gain.  Even if you overdid it, it won't destroy your health goals.  In fact, you may unconsciously reduce your intake as the holiday season winds down.  "When you don't realize you're eating all those cookies, that's automatic eating,"  says Wendy Wood, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Duke University.  But when those cocktail party invitations stop coming, so do the temptations.

2.  Up your fruit and vegetable intake.  Ideally, you should consume at least five fruit and vegetable servings per day now.  These vitamin-rich foods boost your fiber and antioxidant intake and help you feel full.  A tip:  Replace that mid-afternoon 16-oz cola {200 calories} with an orange {65 calories} as a nutritious snack.

3.  Pre-arrange exercise time.  You'll stick to a regimen if you schedule exercise ahead, says Brad Cardinal, Ph.D., associate professor of sport and exercise psychology at Oregon State University.  Try to get in 30 minutes almost every day.  Wear a low-cost pedometer {it counts footsteps} or sign up for a charity walk/run to stick to a plan.

4.  Resist depriving yourself. Focus on what you're going to eat rather than what you're not.  "It sounds indulgent," says Colleen Thompson, R.D., a nutritionist at the University of Connecticut.  "But concentrate on ways to feed yourself now.  It helps you to stick to healthy eating habits."  For example, don't skip a nutritious, fiber-rich breakfast, like oatmeal or a half of a whole-wheat bagel with peanut butter.  It can help prevent overeating later.


And that's how to lose those pesky second-serving-of-mashed-potatoes-chased-with-a-Santa-shaped-Reese's-cup-washed-down-with-some-spiked-egg-nog pounds...no pills, no gimmicks, and no "drop a dress size in a week" promises; but I can promise you from personal experience that making smart food choices and eating on a regular schedule, mixed with regular exercise and the promise to not beat yourself up over past, present, or future overindulgences {you are human...only human}, plus the allowance to smartly have a reasonable portion of your favorite "treats" once in a while, will have you feeling good, and on your way to a positive, healthy year. 


Happy New Year to you all!

xoxo
Bean



{photo credits:  myhealthyrecipesfordinner.org; dirjournal.com}