Popular New Year’s Resolutions
(according to USA.gov and About.com)
1. Lose weight
2. Manage debt
3. Save money
4. Get a better job
5. Get fit
6. Eat right
7. Spend more time with loved ones
8. Get a better education/learn something new
9. Drink less alcohol
10. Quit smoking
11. Reduce stress
12. Volunteer and help others
13. Get organized
Well, what do you know…lookie what shows up on the list a whopping THREE times!
That’s right, losing weight, getting fit and eating right.
And since chances are pretty good losing weight or getting in shape is also at the top of YOUR New Year’s Resolution list this year, it’s a perfect time for this installment of Fitness Friday.
Did you know in the last 30 years, there have been over 10, 000 diet plans published?
Did you also know that 90% of people who start a “diet” fail to achieve their goal?
In fact, about 50 million people begin a new diet each year, and 47.5 million of those people regain all or more of the weight they lost while dieting.
Why is that?
Because diets don’t work.
You’ve heard it a million times, but there is still something in you that hopes there will be some quick fix to your fitness woes, isn’t there!
Dieting is about depriving your body of food. But God created you to NEED food, just like you need oxygen.
Food is not the enemy.
Food is essential.
It is a good thing.
Think of dieting like going underwater and holding your breath.* Eventually, you have to come up. And when you do, you gasp and inhale all you can. It’s the same way when you go without eating. No matter how strong your willpower is, eventually you will give in and eat…and probably binge and gain weight. Then you’ll feel like a failure, and you’ll think something is wrong with you—you must be weak, you must be bad. You must be the exception to every diet plan out there, because they never work for you.
I want this to be the year you succeed.
I know you can because millions of others have, by making small lifestyle changes. The key to fitness has nothing to do with starving and dieting. It has everything to do with
1.Feeding your body the right foods in the right amounts
2.And moving and strengthening your body.
So let’s all agree today that if we have fitness goals for the New Year,
it will NOT include “going on a diet.”
Deal? Deal!
If you have a significant amount of weight to lose (more than 10 pounds) and you don’t exercise, I would recommend you make some very small but very specific goals.
Here are some suggestions:
1. Drink at least 64 ounces of water a day.
2. Cut sodas out of your diet completely (even diet sodas). If you drink several a day, decide to replace one or two a day with water or green tea and go from there.
3.Replace fast food with fresh sandwiches, salads or soup
4.Eat breakfast.
5. Cut all hydrogenated oils out of your diet. Don’t know what contains hydrogenated oils? Read the ingredients. But note: companies are only required by law to list “trans fat” if it has more than .5 grams per serving. Therefore, even if it says “0 grams trans fat” on the nutrition per serving table, it may still contain trans fat. For more info on trans fat and what foods contain it, read
this report from the Food and Drug Administration.
6. Add a serving of fruit or vegetables to every meal and every snack.
7. Change from full fat dairy to low fat or fat free.
8.Go vegetarian one day a week.
9. Change from white bread, pasta and rice to whole grain.
10. Cut out second helpings, unless it’s veggies.
11. Add one day (30 minutes) of cardiovascular exercise to whatever you are currently doing.
12. If you already do cardio at least 3 days a week, add 1 or 2 days a week of weight training to your routine.
Depending where you are on the fitness/health spectrum, you may want to only choose one of these things and do it for a whole month before adding another. Or if you are ready to tackle a few of them, go for it. But whatever you do, make sure you do it for at least 30 days before you add anything else new. It takes about that long to form new habits.
And remember…this is about lifestyle changes, not dieting.
If you have 10 pounds or less to lose, or you just want to get out of your fitness plateau, I’ll talk specifically to you next week, so come back!
One major element to success in fitness and weight loss is accountability. Make sure you tell other supportive people about your goals.
*I read this analogy in Eating for Life, by Bill Phillips and I think it’s fabulous!
I'm in!
Paula G.
I'm in!
Paula G.
I'm with you on this one for sure! It really is a lifestyle not a diet. So many people lose weight on a diet but then gain back more. I think it's great advice about adding exercise, setting small goals that are achievable and to have some support through this. I've always been in good shape because I exercise but I've gained weight since I moved past 50! It gets harder because the old metabolism slows down. I've found that strength training really helps. It increases metabolism and I certainly don't want the upper arm flab. So, I want to be healthy and have energy so I can be about the business I'm called to do.
Could I post your Fitness Friday button on Heart Choices and join you in writing posts related to fitness on some Friday's?
I'm with you on this one for sure! It really is a lifestyle not a diet. So many people lose weight on a diet but then gain back more. I think it's great advice about adding exercise, setting small goals that are achievable and to have some support through this. I've always been in good shape because I exercise but I've gained weight since I moved past 50! It gets harder because the old metabolism slows down. I've found that strength training really helps. It increases metabolism and I certainly don't want the upper arm flab. So, I want to be healthy and have energy so I can be about the business I'm called to do.
Could I post your Fitness Friday button on Heart Choices and join you in writing posts related to fitness on some Friday's?
Hey girl 🙂
I love fitness fridays 🙂
I hope that you had a very wonderful Christmas and New Year!
– Kate 🙂
Hey girl 🙂
I love fitness fridays 🙂
I hope that you had a very wonderful Christmas and New Year!
– Kate 🙂
Visiting via your comment on Lysa T's blog.
Boy did you nail some things down in this blog post. I liked the analogy about holding your breath and coming up for air… That was good.
I am going to join a First Place 4 Health group beginning this month. You may have heard of this program…what I love about it is that they put the focus on putting Christ first in your life, and then all other areas taking their rightful place after him. I am sure that many of the tips that you wrote will show up in their fitness and nutrition plan.
Blessings and feel free to stop by anytime for a visit…
Visiting via your comment on Lysa T's blog.
Boy did you nail some things down in this blog post. I liked the analogy about holding your breath and coming up for air… That was good.
I am going to join a First Place 4 Health group beginning this month. You may have heard of this program…what I love about it is that they put the focus on putting Christ first in your life, and then all other areas taking their rightful place after him. I am sure that many of the tips that you wrote will show up in their fitness and nutrition plan.
Blessings and feel free to stop by anytime for a visit…
I just so happened to stumble along your blog today. This morning when I got on the scale I got a little discouraged because I have been trying to lose weight, which I have lost like 4 or 5 pounds but I have 70 to lose. I have changed some big things in my life like excersicing most days when I didn't exercise at all before, I switched to diet pop and cut down on that even, and I been working on what I eat as well. I know that I will succeed this time though because this time I'm not trying to do it alone, I doing this change with God this time!!! So eve Diet pop will effect your weight loss? Do you have any suggestions for me?
I just so happened to stumble along your blog today. This morning when I got on the scale I got a little discouraged because I have been trying to lose weight, which I have lost like 4 or 5 pounds but I have 70 to lose. I have changed some big things in my life like excersicing most days when I didn't exercise at all before, I switched to diet pop and cut down on that even, and I been working on what I eat as well. I know that I will succeed this time though because this time I'm not trying to do it alone, I doing this change with God this time!!! So eve Diet pop will effect your weight loss? Do you have any suggestions for me?
I'm glad no diets are allowed cause… well, that's obvious.
But I am going to be writing out my 2009 goals and they do include a healthier lifestyle.
Thanks for the encouragement!
I'm glad no diets are allowed cause… well, that's obvious.
But I am going to be writing out my 2009 goals and they do include a healthier lifestyle.
Thanks for the encouragement!
Steph:
I don't know if you will be back to read this, but I wanted to respond to your question.
Without knowing exactly what you are doing in your workouts or what you are eating, it's hard for me to tell what is going on. Also, if you've only been at it for a month or so, 4 or 5 pounds is GREAT!! Actually, 4 or 5 pounds is GREAT no matter what, but still not what you want to see on the scale. Don't be too disappointed.
If you aren't already, I would suggest you keep a food diary. My guess is that maybe you are eating more than you think you are, or you are eating the wrong kinds of foods. I'm always shocked when I start writing things down, just how much I put in my mouth every day.
Regarding the diet sodas, last February some studies came out showing a direct link between artificial sweeteners (like the ones in diet sodas) and weight GAIN. Here is a link to one of the news reports, though you can Google it yourself and find many more.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/Story?id=4271246&page;=1
Also, your health is a bigger picture than just your weight. You need to look at everything you eat regarding the nutritional value. Sugar-free drinks laced with artificial colors and sweeteners do your body absolutely no good whatsoever. So just from a health perspective, I recommend you cut them out of your diet completely.
I hope this helps. Please stick around. I'd love to help you with the additional weight you have to still lose! Also, please feel free to e-mail me any time (see my sidebar for address)
Blessings,
Sandy
Steph:
I don't know if you will be back to read this, but I wanted to respond to your question.
Without knowing exactly what you are doing in your workouts or what you are eating, it's hard for me to tell what is going on. Also, if you've only been at it for a month or so, 4 or 5 pounds is GREAT!! Actually, 4 or 5 pounds is GREAT no matter what, but still not what you want to see on the scale. Don't be too disappointed.
If you aren't already, I would suggest you keep a food diary. My guess is that maybe you are eating more than you think you are, or you are eating the wrong kinds of foods. I'm always shocked when I start writing things down, just how much I put in my mouth every day.
Regarding the diet sodas, last February some studies came out showing a direct link between artificial sweeteners (like the ones in diet sodas) and weight GAIN. Here is a link to one of the news reports, though you can Google it yourself and find many more.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/Story?id=4271246&page;=1
Also, your health is a bigger picture than just your weight. You need to look at everything you eat regarding the nutritional value. Sugar-free drinks laced with artificial colors and sweeteners do your body absolutely no good whatsoever. So just from a health perspective, I recommend you cut them out of your diet completely.
I hope this helps. Please stick around. I'd love to help you with the additional weight you have to still lose! Also, please feel free to e-mail me any time (see my sidebar for address)
Blessings,
Sandy
I would love to have someone cheering me on. I have tried to lose weight before, I do well for a while then I just fizzle out. I need peeps to help me through the low spots. It sounds great! Count me in.
I would love to have someone cheering me on. I have tried to lose weight before, I do well for a while then I just fizzle out. I need peeps to help me through the low spots. It sounds great! Count me in.
I'm in
I'm in
I'm in! I had a baby over a year ago and I still am trying to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight. Those last 10 pounds have been tough, especially once I stopped nursing.
I'm in! I had a baby over a year ago and I still am trying to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight. Those last 10 pounds have been tough, especially once I stopped nursing.
I'm IN! I have gained 35 pounds since leaving my corporate job two years ago. I am very much an emotional eater and have been trying to "hide" behind my fat so to speak for awhile. I agree with Toknowhim about putting Christ first, slowly understanding my beauty in Him has allowed me to see my strongholds and areas I try to comfort myself that have nothing to do with Him. Like food!! I am looking forward to the accountability!
I'm IN! I have gained 35 pounds since leaving my corporate job two years ago. I am very much an emotional eater and have been trying to "hide" behind my fat so to speak for awhile. I agree with Toknowhim about putting Christ first, slowly understanding my beauty in Him has allowed me to see my strongholds and areas I try to comfort myself that have nothing to do with Him. Like food!! I am looking forward to the accountability!
I would love to join in. What a great opportunity for those of us who could use the extra boost in the right direction.
Paulette
I would love to join in. What a great opportunity for those of us who could use the extra boost in the right direction.
Paulette
First time to your blog today, but I am in. I could definitely use the encouragement! Thanks!!
First time to your blog today, but I am in. I could definitely use the encouragement! Thanks!!
I'm in also!
I'm in also!