The weather outside is frightful, and all is not so delightful – amid all of the sneezing, sniffling and coughing, it is only a matter of time before you come down with that nasty cold, right?
Not if you are a regular exerciser!
We know that exercise can help relieve stress (which can lower the body’s ability to ward off infection). But exercise has also been shown to more directly assist in the prevention of the common cold.
One research team found that more active people can more easily resist the common cold. The study, published in the August 2002 journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and Medicine, confirmed what had long been assumed: consistent exercise can reduce the risk of catching a cold. After studying over 500 healthy men and women, the more active people average one cold (23% less than the average) over the course of the year long study, and they reduced their overall risk of catching a cold by 32%.
And it can reduce the duration of it if you do catch the dreading cold.
Another study, conducted by David Nieman of Appalachian State University, found that with women who had colds but still walked regularly had symptoms that lasted five days or less, while women who did not walk suffered through seven days of symptoms.
If you are sick, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends:
> Mild to moderate exercise only if your symptoms are from “the neck up”
> Taking a minimum of two weeks off from intensive training if you have more severe symptoms such as fever
> Reducing the level of intensity of your usual workouts until you have completely recovered
Exercise seems to stimulate immune cells that attack cold infections. While the heightened immunity stimulation lasts only about 1-3 hours, a regular workout routine may continue to increase immunity enough to lower overall risk and duration of colds. Don’t go overboard though, overtraining can suppress the immune system and actually make you more susceptible to getting sick. So use those sick days to squeeze in an extra workout, not to stay at home in bed suffering from that nasty cold that has going around the office.
SOURCES:
“Exercise may reduce risk of colds.” TB & Outbreaks Week; September 17, 2002, NewsRx.com.
“Statement on Exercise and the Common Cold.” Rose, Verna L. American Family Physician; June 1, 1998, Vol. 57 Issue 11.
“Exercise, Immunity, and Susceptibility to Infection.” Physician and Sportsmedicine: Exercise is Medicine; June 1999, Vol. 27, No. 6.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Can exercise reduce your risk of getting sick during this cold and flu season?
Thursday, January 25, 2007
If I stop working out, will my muscles turn to fat?
Today I thought I'd share with you some answers to questions I am most commonly asked at the gym..
Q: If I stop working out, will my muscles turn to fat?
A: No. Fat is not muscle, and muscle is not fat, so muscle cannot turn into fat. You can lose muscle when you stop working out, and since muscle burns about 10 times more calories at rest than fat does, the less muscle you have, the fewer calories you are burning. Excess calories = weight gain, so even if you are eating the same amount of food (or less), it is likely you’ll notice an increase in your body fat when you stop working out regularly, but this doesn’t mean the muscle itself has turned to fat. But there’s no reason to panic, you can safely take three to four weeks off before losing any major muscle.
Q: I’m at the gym 6 or 7 days a week. I saw great results the first few months but now body has stopped changing, I’m actually gaining weight! I can’t possibly workout more - any suggestions?
A: Stop working out! You’ve reached a plateau in your current program – hitting a plateau is like the body’s equivalent of hitting the snooze button. When you continue you do the same workout for months on end, your body stops working so hard to perform it. Sometimes taking a week or two off from the gym is what your body needs to jumpstart your results. When you do head back to the gym, remember: the only way to bring about change is to change! Aim to switch up your program every 4-6 weeks.
Q: If I stop working out, will my muscles turn to fat?
A: No. Fat is not muscle, and muscle is not fat, so muscle cannot turn into fat. You can lose muscle when you stop working out, and since muscle burns about 10 times more calories at rest than fat does, the less muscle you have, the fewer calories you are burning. Excess calories = weight gain, so even if you are eating the same amount of food (or less), it is likely you’ll notice an increase in your body fat when you stop working out regularly, but this doesn’t mean the muscle itself has turned to fat. But there’s no reason to panic, you can safely take three to four weeks off before losing any major muscle.
Q: I’m at the gym 6 or 7 days a week. I saw great results the first few months but now body has stopped changing, I’m actually gaining weight! I can’t possibly workout more - any suggestions?
A: Stop working out! You’ve reached a plateau in your current program – hitting a plateau is like the body’s equivalent of hitting the snooze button. When you continue you do the same workout for months on end, your body stops working so hard to perform it. Sometimes taking a week or two off from the gym is what your body needs to jumpstart your results. When you do head back to the gym, remember: the only way to bring about change is to change! Aim to switch up your program every 4-6 weeks.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Small changes = Big Results
Did you know that the average American drinks more than 53 gallons of carbonated soft drinks a year? Think about it: if you did nothing else but substitute 20 oz. of soda with water or a diet soda, everyday, you could lose 26 pounds this year alone!
Diet and exercise. Have I lost you yet? What happened when you read those words? Did you recoil in pain? Many of us link those two words to other dreaded words like work, pain and deprivation. It doesn’t have to be that difficult! One of the most important things I stress to my clients is that making small changes can mean big results over time. No, it isn’t a quick fix, and no, you won’t lose 10 pounds over night, but by creating changes that are realistic and managable, you are so much more likely to maintain these habits and lasting benefits such as weight loss, increased energy and an overall better quality of life!
Just check out how many pounds you could lose this year if you made one or more of these minor changes everyday:
Instead of: 1 slice chocolate cake
Try: 1 oz. dark chocolate
Calories saved: 500
# lbs. lost (in a year): 52
Instead of: 20 oz. of soda
Try: Water! (or, if you must, diet soda)
Calories saved: 250
# lbs. lost (in a year): 26
Instead of: 1 cup of Alfredo Sauce
Try: 1 cup of Marinara sauce
Calories saved: 160
# lbs. lost (in a year): 16
Instead of: Ground Beef
Try: Ground turkey breast
Calories saved: 100
# lbs. lost (in a year): 10
These aren’t turn my life upside down, start a cleansing fast, go to the gym for hours on end changes. Don’t make it harder than it is. Just decide one small thing that you can do to get you closer to your goal, and start today!
Diet and exercise. Have I lost you yet? What happened when you read those words? Did you recoil in pain? Many of us link those two words to other dreaded words like work, pain and deprivation. It doesn’t have to be that difficult! One of the most important things I stress to my clients is that making small changes can mean big results over time. No, it isn’t a quick fix, and no, you won’t lose 10 pounds over night, but by creating changes that are realistic and managable, you are so much more likely to maintain these habits and lasting benefits such as weight loss, increased energy and an overall better quality of life!
Just check out how many pounds you could lose this year if you made one or more of these minor changes everyday:
Instead of: 1 slice chocolate cake
Try: 1 oz. dark chocolate
Calories saved: 500
# lbs. lost (in a year): 52
Instead of: 20 oz. of soda
Try: Water! (or, if you must, diet soda)
Calories saved: 250
# lbs. lost (in a year): 26
Instead of: 1 cup of Alfredo Sauce
Try: 1 cup of Marinara sauce
Calories saved: 160
# lbs. lost (in a year): 16
Instead of: Ground Beef
Try: Ground turkey breast
Calories saved: 100
# lbs. lost (in a year): 10
These aren’t turn my life upside down, start a cleansing fast, go to the gym for hours on end changes. Don’t make it harder than it is. Just decide one small thing that you can do to get you closer to your goal, and start today!
Friday, January 19, 2007
The Friday Wrap Up
Can you believe another week is coming to an end? We’re always so focused at moving forward we forget that we can learn so much from looking at how far we’ve come. As another week comes to a close, take a moment with me and just check in with yourself: how was this week? Ask yourself a few questions (and answer them!):
What did you learn about yourself this week? For example: I am capable of more than I thought – I took a yoga class this week and I stayed the entire hour!
What did you learn about your program? For example: I learned that going to the gym 5 days a week is not realistic with my hectic schedule right now. I only made it three days this week.
What did you accomplish?
What can you do differently next week?
Answering these questions honestly gives you an opportunity to really evaluate what is working, and what could be made even better, in order to keep you on the road to success - in all areas of your life. Because while all we have is the present, our future sometimes depends a whole lot on the past.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Are you living in a cage or a Rat Park?
I was just reading an article in this month’s issue of O Magazine* where Martha Beck talks of an experiment run by psychologist Bruce Alexander in the 1970s on lab rats to determine which ones become addicted to drugs, and which don’t. His theory was that rats who lived in cages would most certainly become hooked because of their miserable existence. To test his theory, he created what he called “Rat Park” – a 200 sq. foot piece of rodent heaven – complete with balls, cans, greenery - everything a rat could want. He then offered a morphine solution to the rats living in Rat Park and those living in the traditional cage set up. Not surprisingly, the rats in cages became morphine junkies, and those living in the “Rat Park” had no problem refusing it.
So what do morphine addicted rats have to do with getting in shape? For most of us, EVERYTHING! Think about it: how many times do you use food as a drug? I know I am guilty of it: I eat when I am stressed, sad, disappointed, you name it. Chocolate has helped me numb myself during many a rough time. When I read this article, it really struck a chord with me. I thought back to all the times I was struggling to get in shape, or lose some weight – those were the times I was living in a cage. As soon as I began living in my own version of a “Rat Park”, staying healthy and in shape was easy. Life feels good today, and so does my body. Exercising is something I get to do, not something I have to do. I want to eat healthy because I need all the energy I can get to keep working on these projects I am passionate about. OK, so I am sounding a little like Pollyanna now, but you get my drift (and I do still have a little chocolate- everyday- in fact. But I now consider it a celebration, not an escape).
Picture your own Rat Park. What or who is in it? What would it take to make it a reality for you? What would happen if you focused on building (and living) your dream instead of watching the numbers on the scale?
I’d wager to bet your smile would be a lot bigger and your pants a lot looser.
*Excerpted from “Lisa K.’s Diet Diary” from the January 2007 Issue of O Magazine
So what do morphine addicted rats have to do with getting in shape? For most of us, EVERYTHING! Think about it: how many times do you use food as a drug? I know I am guilty of it: I eat when I am stressed, sad, disappointed, you name it. Chocolate has helped me numb myself during many a rough time. When I read this article, it really struck a chord with me. I thought back to all the times I was struggling to get in shape, or lose some weight – those were the times I was living in a cage. As soon as I began living in my own version of a “Rat Park”, staying healthy and in shape was easy. Life feels good today, and so does my body. Exercising is something I get to do, not something I have to do. I want to eat healthy because I need all the energy I can get to keep working on these projects I am passionate about. OK, so I am sounding a little like Pollyanna now, but you get my drift (and I do still have a little chocolate- everyday- in fact. But I now consider it a celebration, not an escape).
Picture your own Rat Park. What or who is in it? What would it take to make it a reality for you? What would happen if you focused on building (and living) your dream instead of watching the numbers on the scale?
I’d wager to bet your smile would be a lot bigger and your pants a lot looser.
*Excerpted from “Lisa K.’s Diet Diary” from the January 2007 Issue of O Magazine
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Learning from our mistakes
“Mistakes are the portals of discovery.” – James Joyce
I think we learn more from our mistakes than our successes. I am sure by now a lot of you are finding that those New Year's Resolutions are getting harder and harder to maintain.
I think we learn more from our mistakes than our successes. I am sure by now a lot of you are finding that those New Year's Resolutions are getting harder and harder to maintain.
If you fall off the wagon look at why, what happened? Find the formula and then change it. If in laws visiting + work stress = a box of cookies, don’t beat yourself up about it! First, acknowledge what happened. Then, look at why that box of cookies was suddenly so irresistible. Um, can you say stress? What could you have done to help relieve some stress before you got to that breaking point? Brainstorm. Think now about some possible solutions to this obstacle before it comes up again.
Taking action, not dwelling on our past mistakes, is how we get closer to our goals. Because the very definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing over and over and expect a different result – you aren’t insane now, are you?
Taking action, not dwelling on our past mistakes, is how we get closer to our goals. Because the very definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing over and over and expect a different result – you aren’t insane now, are you?
Monday, January 15, 2007
I love Mondays!
OK gang – it’s Monday! As much as most of us dread Monday, I actually enjoy it. It’s the start of a new, fresh week full of opportunity. Before you let this week get away from you, why not take some time today and schedule in the things that are absolute ‘musts’ for you to accomplish this week (say, a few workouts?). Scheduling yourself in a few appointments to do some healthy things for yourself is a great way to make your health a priority and noting it at the beginning of your week can actually make it possible (and even easy!) to fit it into your busy week.
Not sure where to start? Why not try scheduling in at least five of the following:
A massage
A walk with a friend
A yoga class
30-minute cardio session
15-minute strength workout
A bike ride
A check up with your doctor
Shopping for fruits & veggies at a local market
A session with a personal trainer
You get the idea – get creative about what you’ll do, just make it anything that will get you excited about your week, your health and living this week to the fullest!
Here’s to Mondays!
Not sure where to start? Why not try scheduling in at least five of the following:
A massage
A walk with a friend
A yoga class
30-minute cardio session
15-minute strength workout
A bike ride
A check up with your doctor
Shopping for fruits & veggies at a local market
A session with a personal trainer
You get the idea – get creative about what you’ll do, just make it anything that will get you excited about your week, your health and living this week to the fullest!
Here’s to Mondays!
Friday, January 12, 2007
3 easy steps for weight loss this weekend
Let’s get ready for the weekend! Here are 3 small steps you can do (without stepping foot in a gym!) to help you lose weight and improve your health now:
1) Get more and better quality sleep. Studies have shown that a lack of sleep creates havoc on our system. Our bodies confuse the need for sleep with the need for food, and we end up craving food full of sugar and fat (like you needed any more temptation to eat that holiday food). The solution? Wind down before bed earlier, tape your favorite late show and aim for 7-8 hours of sleep every night.
2) Eat 250 less calories a day. That’s all it really takes. Even if you change nothing else, eating 250 less calories (that is about equivalent to the last four bites of your hamburger) everyday adds up to a weekly deficit of 1750, or losing half a pound. Lose a pound a week by eating 250 less, and moving 250 calories (about a 30 minute walk for the average person) everyday.
3) Fit in “activity” exercise. You may not be hitting the gym, but you can still burn calories with everyday activity. Park your car in the spot furthest from the store; take the stairs instead of the elevator, even fidgeting gets you moving and torching calories whenever possible.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
The best exercise program in the world
Exercise in the morning, on an empty stomach, after work, at a high intensity, on a treadmill, low intensity.. there is more information than ever out there about how and when to exercise, yet most of us still aren’t working out on a regular basis.
When people ask me what exercise program I recommend my answer is simple: the one that you will do! If you won’t do it, it can’t be effective! My advice: KISS (keep it short & simple). Start small. If you aren’t exercising on a regular basis currently, you’re not going to spend hours at the gym. Try a 30-45 minute walk three times a week. (I know, some of you are thinking – but that’s not enough, that won’t do anything!) That is the kind of thinking that keep us in the same place. One of my favorite sayings is “if you never change, you will never change!” It is so true. We can talk ourselves out of change before we even begin the process.
If you’ve been taking the same step/spin/aerobics class for years and you still don’t have the body you want – change what you are doing! (But first, congratulate yourself on maintaining a healthy habit for so long, and then find a way to make it different). Experiment! Have fun! Try swapping cycling with yoga, abs class for pilates or machines for free weights.
So change something. TODAY. Don’t make it more work than it is: Just move. Feel alive. Enjoy the moment.
The sooner you get started, the faster you’ll start seeing results.
Need some help finding an exercise program that is right for you? Check out “Learn the Secrets of Personal Trainers: Get Results in Less Time” - you’ll find customized programs for your fitness goals like losing weight, getting started at the gym training for an event. It even includes a free workout template for you to track your progress.
When people ask me what exercise program I recommend my answer is simple: the one that you will do! If you won’t do it, it can’t be effective! My advice: KISS (keep it short & simple). Start small. If you aren’t exercising on a regular basis currently, you’re not going to spend hours at the gym. Try a 30-45 minute walk three times a week. (I know, some of you are thinking – but that’s not enough, that won’t do anything!) That is the kind of thinking that keep us in the same place. One of my favorite sayings is “if you never change, you will never change!” It is so true. We can talk ourselves out of change before we even begin the process.
If you’ve been taking the same step/spin/aerobics class for years and you still don’t have the body you want – change what you are doing! (But first, congratulate yourself on maintaining a healthy habit for so long, and then find a way to make it different). Experiment! Have fun! Try swapping cycling with yoga, abs class for pilates or machines for free weights.
So change something. TODAY. Don’t make it more work than it is: Just move. Feel alive. Enjoy the moment.
The sooner you get started, the faster you’ll start seeing results.
Need some help finding an exercise program that is right for you? Check out “Learn the Secrets of Personal Trainers: Get Results in Less Time” - you’ll find customized programs for your fitness goals like losing weight, getting started at the gym training for an event. It even includes a free workout template for you to track your progress.
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
What's behind the excuses?
I’m going to ask you to get real with me here. I’m not going to sit up here on my soapbox and tell you that you just need more self control and discipline to lose weight. I’m also not going to give you another fad diet or celebrity weight loss secret (ps- all those “secrets” still all boil down to the same formula – eat less + move more = weigh less).
What is really going on?
Why is it that you can make time for everyone else in your life, but not yourself? Most of us even take more time out to do something nice for a complete stranger than we do ourselves!
It’s time to stop the excuses. We all use the “I don’t have time” reasoning to get out of taking responsibility for our health, yet somehow we still have time to watch up to 8 hours of television or surf the internet in a day. Why? Because we enjoy TV a lot more than we enjoy exercise! And hey, I am just as guilty of not putting my health first sometimes. But the first step to change is to acknowledgement. We’ve got to stop linking ‘healthy’ with punishment. ‘Healthy’ is not only about eating rabbit food and running on a treadmill. I promise.
I’m gong to ask you to get a little selfish when it comes to taking care of yourself. Just try this one thing, everyday, this month, and see what happens:
Think more about how you feel and less about how you’ll look.
What does that statement mean to you? Maybe it means: “I will eat only until I am satisfied, not until I am stuffed because it will make me feel so much better and give me more energy after my meal.” Or, maybe it means: “I will try that new step class tonight, and worry less about how I will look to everyone else and more about how great I will feel after I finish, knowing I took on a new challenge, did my best and didn’t allow myself to be intimidated.” Whatever it means for you, see if you can incorporate this concept into your life everyday this month and just see what happens.
Let me know how it goes :-)
What is really going on?
Why is it that you can make time for everyone else in your life, but not yourself? Most of us even take more time out to do something nice for a complete stranger than we do ourselves!
It’s time to stop the excuses. We all use the “I don’t have time” reasoning to get out of taking responsibility for our health, yet somehow we still have time to watch up to 8 hours of television or surf the internet in a day. Why? Because we enjoy TV a lot more than we enjoy exercise! And hey, I am just as guilty of not putting my health first sometimes. But the first step to change is to acknowledgement. We’ve got to stop linking ‘healthy’ with punishment. ‘Healthy’ is not only about eating rabbit food and running on a treadmill. I promise.
I’m gong to ask you to get a little selfish when it comes to taking care of yourself. Just try this one thing, everyday, this month, and see what happens:
Think more about how you feel and less about how you’ll look.
What does that statement mean to you? Maybe it means: “I will eat only until I am satisfied, not until I am stuffed because it will make me feel so much better and give me more energy after my meal.” Or, maybe it means: “I will try that new step class tonight, and worry less about how I will look to everyone else and more about how great I will feel after I finish, knowing I took on a new challenge, did my best and didn’t allow myself to be intimidated.” Whatever it means for you, see if you can incorporate this concept into your life everyday this month and just see what happens.
Let me know how it goes :-)
Monday, January 8, 2007
2007 = Your year to get in shape for real!
Do you still have New Year Resolution fever? Isn’t January such a great time of year? The credit card bills are coming in from your holiday shopping, the scale is tipping in the wrong direction (that number can’t be right!) and you find yourself with a list of resolutions such as ‘go to the gym’ or ‘start a diet’. Motivating, huh?
The point is, most of us will choose January as the time to focus on diet and exercise. Most of us will start another low-carb-no-carb-cabbage-soup-and-juice-fast and kill ourselves at the gym for maybe a week, or a month. And why do we stop after that? Because we have created unrealistic expectations of ourselves and our bodies! Think about how insane that strategy is – you go from an all-you-can-eat, no-time-to-exercise season right into extreme fitness boot camp. You are setting yourself up to fail! What if, this year, you really focused on your health and wellness instead of just losing that extra holiday weight?
Why not change your outlook this year? Why not look at January as the time to start fresh? First, take some time to reflect back on all the great things you experienced in 2006. Starting a new year with a feeling of accomplishment and excitement can help bring the inspiration you need to keep moving towards your goals long past January. And as you start thinking about what you want to achieve this year, try not to get too overwhelmed with the what (I want to lose 10 pounds), instead, focus on the why (I want to have more energy throughout the day and feel and look great in my little black dress at my birthday party in March).
I found myself swimming in a sea of ideas, goals and forward projections for 2007 – and it was paralyzing. Finally, I just said to myself: “just pick one thing and go do it already!” And that, my friends, was starting this blog! So don’t get overwhelmed with a ‘to-do’ list of resolutions - why not just pick one thing and go do it! Try it on a daily basis. Decide today, one thing you will do that will contribute to your fitness goals. For example: you might decide that today you will take a 45-minute walk at 4:00pm before leaving the office. It is one thing you can do today that will contribute to changes in your body tomorrow. (See my goal setting tip below for more ideas).
Finally, remember Rome wasn’t built in a day, so don’t expect your body to change overnight. Lasting results and changes happen gradually. Daily progress adds up – do something everyday that will contribute to your achievement, and soon, you’ll be reaching for a new goal.
And please, if there is a health or fitness topic you would like to know more about, feel free to contact me with your fitness questions and topic ideas. You can email me at: Jessica@inwellnesssystems.com or visit my website: inwellnesssystems.com for more information.
Best wishes to you for a happy and healthy 2007!
Jessica
GOAL SETTING TIP: Stop setting yourself up to fail with impossible New Year resolutions. Here are some of my favorites: I will get skinny this year! I want weigh what I did in college! What does that mean? How to you plan to do it? Instead, make lasting changes by skipping the typical resolution strategy and replacing it with SMART (specific, measurable, realistic, attainable and on a Timetable) goals.
A SMART goal might look like this: I will lose five pounds by March 1st 2007 by replacing my afternoon latte and scone with a coffee with skim milk and a banana and doing physical activity, five days a week, for at least 30 minutes. It is specific and, measurable (losing five pounds), realistic and attainable (healthy snacking and moderate exercise) on a timetable (in three months).
The point is, most of us will choose January as the time to focus on diet and exercise. Most of us will start another low-carb-no-carb-cabbage-soup-and-juice-fast and kill ourselves at the gym for maybe a week, or a month. And why do we stop after that? Because we have created unrealistic expectations of ourselves and our bodies! Think about how insane that strategy is – you go from an all-you-can-eat, no-time-to-exercise season right into extreme fitness boot camp. You are setting yourself up to fail! What if, this year, you really focused on your health and wellness instead of just losing that extra holiday weight?
Why not change your outlook this year? Why not look at January as the time to start fresh? First, take some time to reflect back on all the great things you experienced in 2006. Starting a new year with a feeling of accomplishment and excitement can help bring the inspiration you need to keep moving towards your goals long past January. And as you start thinking about what you want to achieve this year, try not to get too overwhelmed with the what (I want to lose 10 pounds), instead, focus on the why (I want to have more energy throughout the day and feel and look great in my little black dress at my birthday party in March).
I found myself swimming in a sea of ideas, goals and forward projections for 2007 – and it was paralyzing. Finally, I just said to myself: “just pick one thing and go do it already!” And that, my friends, was starting this blog! So don’t get overwhelmed with a ‘to-do’ list of resolutions - why not just pick one thing and go do it! Try it on a daily basis. Decide today, one thing you will do that will contribute to your fitness goals. For example: you might decide that today you will take a 45-minute walk at 4:00pm before leaving the office. It is one thing you can do today that will contribute to changes in your body tomorrow. (See my goal setting tip below for more ideas).
Finally, remember Rome wasn’t built in a day, so don’t expect your body to change overnight. Lasting results and changes happen gradually. Daily progress adds up – do something everyday that will contribute to your achievement, and soon, you’ll be reaching for a new goal.
And please, if there is a health or fitness topic you would like to know more about, feel free to contact me with your fitness questions and topic ideas. You can email me at: Jessica@inwellnesssystems.com or visit my website: inwellnesssystems.com for more information.
Best wishes to you for a happy and healthy 2007!
Jessica
GOAL SETTING TIP: Stop setting yourself up to fail with impossible New Year resolutions. Here are some of my favorites: I will get skinny this year! I want weigh what I did in college! What does that mean? How to you plan to do it? Instead, make lasting changes by skipping the typical resolution strategy and replacing it with SMART (specific, measurable, realistic, attainable and on a Timetable) goals.
A SMART goal might look like this: I will lose five pounds by March 1st 2007 by replacing my afternoon latte and scone with a coffee with skim milk and a banana and doing physical activity, five days a week, for at least 30 minutes. It is specific and, measurable (losing five pounds), realistic and attainable (healthy snacking and moderate exercise) on a timetable (in three months).
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