Tuesday, January 3, 2012

2012 New Years Resolution!

My new years resolution is to lose weight!    My news years resolution is to be healthier!  My guess is many of us know people that are making these types of resolutions.  Maybe you are one of them.  

Lets think about these type of resolutions.  Are they realistic?   Are you or they destine to fail?  Maybe but maybe not so lets break down the average persons thought process (FYI I have been there so most of this comes from personal experience).

It is the end of December and the holidays are over.    You have spent the last month and half at family/friend  gatherings eating an insane amounts of food, drinking, indulging in anything and everything because of the holidays.    At the end of it all you step on the scale or look in the mirror and think "I need to lose this holiday weight".

Another scenario is you have been unhappy with how you look or have a bad image of yourself so you determine that the new year is a great time to start as the new year is a new slate and is a great marker for your progress!  

No matter what the scenario the gyms are now up on memberships and diet companies have seen and influx of new clients.   And here is why I think most people fail.

1.  Going to the gym and walking on a tredmill or using an eliptical isn't going to do much for you.    You have to understand your heart rate, your calories burned and muscles used.  you may see some short term results but nothing long term  

2. People go to the gym and then go home and think that they can eat what ever they want.   I just went to the gym so i can have a couple of cookies, I can eat at burger king.

3. Lack of patience!   guess what it didn't take one day for you to get the way you are.    it isn'mt going to change over night and to make matters worse it is going to be harder to make yourself look the way you want.   It sucks but you have to have patience!    working out for a week isn't going to magically shed whatever weight.

4.  We find reasons not to do things.   We find excuses.   This is the worst but an excuses to me at this point is a lack of committment both mentally and physcially.   I have kids, i'm to busy, work was crazy so I need to relax, and so on.    THIS IS THE BIGGEST REASON FOR FAILURE!  stop giving yourself excuses and do it!   get it done and stop eating things you shouldn't be.   

I am not saying that you shouldn't go to the gym and walk on a tredmill or use an eliptical machine.    I am however saying that you need to understand how your body works if you really want to succeed.    That type of information isn't as hard to find as you may think as the internet has been a huge tool for finding information.   Ask anyone if they feel guilty if they worked out and then ask the same person if they feel guilty for missing a workout. 

If you want to succeed you need to understand what you eat in  day.    Find a website that works for you and track everything you eat in a day.   My guess is you will be suprised as to how much junk you are putting into your body.    your sugar intakes, simple carbs, lack of proteins, vegatables and healthy food.    This will allow you determine what you should and shouldn't eat.   combine this with your excercise and it is amazing what can happen

Once you have figured out your diet and by diet I don't mean starving yourself i mean figuring out what your body needs to be healthy.    you can than determine how much food you require for both your day to day living as well as the fuel for your workouts.    This will not only help speed up your metabolism to help you burn more fat but also regulate your blood sugar, keep you more awake, and give you more energy to work and to exercise.  

All in all I wish all people the best in their resolutions.    I hope everyone the best but I encourage you to look at yourself and determine if what you are doing is actually working.   Don't fall into your same routines.   you need to mentally commit in order to physically change.  your will power has by far the largest portion of your success.   Your will power gets you to the gym, off of the couch, stops you from eating the food you shouldn't be and gets you on track.  

 Good luck to you all and stay committed!!!!!