New Year, New Goals! Making 2020 Your Healthiest Year Yet

Most of us make bold resolutions to kick off a new year, and many of them have to do with weight loss and healthy lifestyle changes – only to fall flat and break those resolutions shortly after the clock strikes midnight!  However, the yearly cycle of making diet and health resolutions, only to break them a few weeks later, can easily be avoided!

We can all agree that losing weight is one of the most popular resolutions to make for the New Year. So what’s stopping you from making this the year you’re ready and committed to making changes?  Having a weight loss resolution for the new year is a great start, but breaking in down into more attainable, “mini-resolutions” can help you be successful towards your goal, and that starts with making small changes as you kick off 2020.

At NJdiet, we agree that there is no better time than the promise of a New Year to begin to take
charge of your health & wellness. Our program is not only aimed at promoting healthy weight loss, but aims to improve your total wellness — where the side effect is weight loss, but the end result is better overall health and well being!  

Here are some great ideas you’ll feel good about all year long!

It’s A Journey, Not A Race

That long list of goals seems just as overwhelming as the resolution to “lose weight,” doesn’t it? Don’t worry–you don’t have to start doing everything tomorrow. Instead of fretting about changing bad habits to good ones overnight, spread your mini-resolutions throughout the year.

For each week, assign a few goals, and by the time the next week rolls around, you’ll be ready to add a new goal, such as trying a new, non-starchy vegetable, testing out a new spice on your meal, or engaging in physical activity at least twice a week. Because you took baby steps and reached smaller, specific goals through the year, not only will you likely lose weight, but you will look and feel your very best!

Make Mini-Resolutions

A great tip is to brainstorm and write down a list of measurable goals that will actually help your weight loss journey and help you conquer that weight loss resolution. The more specific the goal, the more attainable it is.  There are many things that may be a personal goal for YOU, and you alone.

Some example of mini-resolutions may be:

• Commit to taking the stairs wherever possible
• Sign up for a 5K in your city (even if your plan is just to walk!)
• Commit to a 30-minutes a day devoted to exercising, at least three times a week
• Clean out your kitchen and rid yourself of empty calories and unhealthy snacks
• Commit to a weight loss program! Even if it’s just doing research on what program is right for you, now is the time to figure out how you would like to best approach your weight-loss journey.
• Aim for at least 8 hours of sleep every night; and waking up at the same time each day
• Instead of sitting on the coach scrolling through social media, watch your content on a stationary bike, treadmill or something similar!

Don’t Delay Your Goals

While it can be easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life and continually put off your own goals towards a healthier you, there is no time like the present to start thinking about what you hope to achieve in the New Year.  In fact, putting off your goals could actually be causing you more stress. By simply taking a few moments to write out your plans — day by day, week by week — it’s easier to commit to accomplishing your tasks.

Treat Yourself In A Healthy Way

If you can give yourself a “reward” (something other than a food reward) after accomplishing a goal, then it will keep you motivated to keep on going!  Set a non-food reward for the end of each month; such as get a massage, buy new clothes, splurge on some exercise gear, and get excited about fitting into smaller, trendier sizes and styles. Another good tip is to use a chart to track each goal, so you can visualize and see yourself “checking off” all of your mini-resolutions.

Keep Active

One of the top New Year’s resolutions is to exercise more, which means gyms are typically packed for the first few months of the year.  However, there are easy ways to start just by “moving more.”  Start off with walking, an increase it to a bit more each day – you can work exercise into your schedule without sacrificing much time. Begin with a slow stroll, for just a few minutes a day; then gradually build up your time and pace to the recommended 150 weekly minutes at a moderate-intensity.  Walking helps manage your weight, strengthen your body, and boost your mood; do it regularly and research suggests you’re likely to live longer.

Other great tips for keeping active and staying on track with your diet during the holiday season:

• Stick with a solid routine in order to stay motivated. Find a way that works for you to keep yourself motivated toward your weight loss goal.
• Get moving and keep moving. You don’t need to join a gym now during the busy holiday season, but just doing something, each day, is a great start.  All that matters is you keep your body moving!
• Find a group or a buddy who is working towards the same goal as you; just by having support from a friend, spouse or family member is key to long-term weight loss success.

Don’t Neglect Your Mental Health

“Getting healthy,” doesn’t only focus on physical health. You shouldn’t forget about your mental and emotional health, as they are equally important towards keeping your goals in check. It’s important to remember that your overall health is impacted by your emotions and mentality. When you have a positive mindset, it helps keep you motivated in all areas of your life.

One of the simplest and most effective ways to take care of mental health is to start meditating. Find a quiet spot, get in a comfortable position and focus all your attention on feeling and listening as you slowly inhale through your nostrils for a count of three, then exhale. Try placing your hand right below you navel so you can feel your belly rise and fall. Spending even a few minutes a day in meditation can help reduce stress and ease anxiety.

Increase Water Intake

Research has shown even mild dehydration can reduce your ability to concentrate, negatively affect your mood and decrease your energy. People who drink more water can help cut calories and reduce their consumption of saturated fat, sugar, sodium and cholesterol. Start tracking how much water you’re drinking each day. Water is critical to our health — and can even help with weight loss. In fact, studies show that drinking a 16 oz. bottle of water spikes your metabolic rate by 30 percent!   Take into account that you should drink more fluids if you are exercising.  In addition to water, tea and sparkling water are also good options. A great way to ensure you are drinking enough throughout the day is to get a reusable water bottle that you can have with you at all times, and refill it often!

Never Underestimate The Importance Of Sleep

Along with a well body and mind,  your body needs to rest in order to recharge and recover from the day’s events. A lack of sleep can add to a higher level of stress, as well. . Improving your sleep can also be helped by trying to avoid watching TV, hopping on your computer or scrolling through your phone right before bedtime.

Additionally, the most important sleep strategy is to stick to a schedule  – even on the weekends — by going to bed at the time every night and getting up at the same time every morning.  About a half hour before you plan to hit the sack, power off the laptop, put down the smart phone and get ready for bed. When you get into a regular sleep rhythm, you get better quality and more sound rest.

Work Towards Healthy Weight Loss

There are a number of ways to work toward healthy weight loss.  As we said earlier, setting realistic goals, getting the nutrition your body needs, and incorporating more exercise into your week is a great place to start, even during this busy holiday season! By making a healthy lifestyle a priority, the rest of the pieces — including weight loss — will fall into place.

 

* * * *

The upcoming New Year is an opportunity to rethink your unhealthy habits, and decide which ones are not best towards optimizing your wellness and overall health. By making small changes — such as focusing on eating more nutritious foods or finding activities you love — you can make your weight loss journey successful!

Starting the New Year off right will motivate you to keep on going when the tough winter months hits — so that rather than giving up on your New Year’s weight loss resolution, you’ll have the motivation to keep on going. The next time you think you can’t do it, think again. You can do it and the above tips can help you reach your goal and keep the weight gain at bay. We hope that these weight loss resolution tips will help you to build a foundation for a healthy, happy, and successful new year!

 

If you’re ready to start making healthy changes in your life and kick off your New Year right, NJdiet can help! 

Every factor regulating metabolism, appetite, fat storage & fat burning is carefully energetically
tested for success at NJdiet. We use DNA Testing over 40 different factors are assessed genetically to
make sure you keep it off and stay healthy.

Our program is not only aimed at promoting healthy weight loss, but aims to improve your total wellness — where the side effect is weight loss, but the end result is better overall health and well being.  

When you come in for your consultation, we will explain how our unique individualized system works to reduce hunger and feel healthier, and how our 4 component approach makes it possible to lose 20-40 lbs. or more of fat in only 40 days! We assess the many metabolic factors to genetically make sure you not only lose the weight, but ensures you keep it off and stay healthy for a lifetime. 

Attending the Initial Evaluation and Consultation is normally $99, but by registering on our website it will only cost $27!  We welcome the opportunity for you to have a consultation with us, so register online now!