Sensei Talks  

Like many of you, I took a few days off to have some uninterrupted family time over the holidays. Needless to say, I came back to an inbox full of e-mail alerts…. most related to New Year’s resolutions. Did you notice the TV ads over New Year’s weekend were dominated by dating and weight loss?

It always amazes me when I look at the myriad of programs that seem to appear out of no where this time of year… you can lose weight, find that special someone, get healthy, get tanned, remove unwanted hair and get rich…. just click here and give us your credit card number!

This is the time of year when people are very susceptible. Everyone is coming off the holiday “feeding frenzy” and their hearts stop the first time they step on the scale. Desperate to undo the damage, people sign up for anything that promises quick results.

In a nation of instantaneous gratification, we sometimes lose sight of reality while looking for immediate results. I always tell my clients, “Your weight didn’t come on overnight, so don’t expect to get rid of it overnight.”

What works? Like the tortoise and the hare, slow but sure wins the race. Losing ½-3 pounds per week through changes in your diet and physical activity is the way to go. This is the weight that STAYS OFF…and isn’t that the real goal? You don’t have to starve, you don’t have to run marathons, just eat a little less and be a little more active. Keep tweaking your diet and physical activity over time and the weight will come off. You’ll feel better too!

Here are some tips for a healthier New Year and a healthier new you:

• Get rid of the leftover holiday goodies! Having trouble with that one? Look at it this way; will that tin of cookies look better in the trash bin or on your hips? (I thought you’d see it my way).
• Eat more veggies. Think of your plate in quarters. ¼ for your protein, ¼ for your starch and the rest for veggies. The fiber in the vegetables helps fill you up. One note of caution: steer clear of high fat toppings on your veggies.
• Cut back on the high calorie foods in your diet. Do you eat too many fatty foods or a lot of sweets? It doesn’t have to be all or nothing, start cutting back and give yourself time to adjust to the changes.
• Go for a walk. Over time you can increase your speed and distance. Add in other activities whenever you’re ready.
• Examine the habits that caused you to gain weight. Do you eat in front of the TV or have too many snacks in the house? Look for ways to either stop these behaviors or do them in healthier ways. Snack on raw veggies or pretzels instead of chips or candies.

Don’t like that approach? Too slow for you? Then just click here, give me your credit card number and I’ll make all your problems disappear!

Labels: Health, healthy eating, New Year's Resolutions, Renee