New Years Resolution Diet Tips to Help You Meet Your Weight Loss Goals for 2012!
If you're one of the millions of Americans who are vowing to lose weight this coming year, take heart -- there are things you can do to help yourself reach your goals. Follow the New Years Resolution Diet Tips in this article and the chances are good that you'll be shopping for new clothes in smaller sizes by Valentine's Day -- if not before!
Choose the New Years Resolution Diet That's Best for You
As my grandma used to say, "There's more than one way to skin a cat," (Yeah, Grandma was kind of scary like that), and there's more than one way to lose weight and eat better, so find the one that works best for you.
If you're a vegetarian or committed to living a vegan lifestyle, the Atkins Low Carb, high protein diet might not be the best one for you. On the other hand, if you just can't see yourself going cold turkey on meat and instantly making the switch from carnivore to herbivore, you might want to consider the Atkins or the South Beach diet, which still allow you to eat plenty of meat, chicken and fish.
Do some research before you dive in. Consult your friends who have successfully lost weight to see what's worked for them or browse through the bookstore. While you're at it, check out some of the popular diet programs that are making the rounds on the Internet only.
Give Yourself a Chance to Succeed
Many small businesses fail for no other reason than they don't start off with enough money in the bank to survive any hard times. Everyone needs a safety zone. You're going to get knocked down, but you have to have the safety net below you that will cushion your fall.
The first time I tried the South Beach Diet, I failed miserably because I got incredibly hungry, and when I did the only snacks that I had in the house were those of the high carb variety. Eventually, I gave into my hunger, pigged out, and ended up worse than I started.
BUT... I learned from my mistake and before I started the diet again, I made sure that I had enough "capital" in the bank in the form of South Beach approved snacks such as string cheese, pistachios, and green apples with peanut butter. With this preparation, I was able to stick to the diet and see the results I'd been hoping for.
Plan for the Bad Times
Business writer Brian Tracy recommends that when you set a goal, along with sitting down ahead of time and writing out a Master List everything you have to do in order to achieve that goal, that you also write down all the obstacles that are standing in your way and develop strategies for dealing with them.
One suggestion is to sit down with a calendar and look at the social occasions and business functions in the months ahead where you might be tempted to cheat. Will you be traveling and forced to eat on the run? Will there be any particularly stressful times where you may turn to food? If you're a student this could be final exams, for an accountant, it could be tax time, and for a sales person, it could be the end of the month or quarter.
How will you combat these times? Will you exercise more and eat extra carefully leading up to these days so that you can moderately "indulge" on that special occasion? Will you call ahead to the banquet hall or restaurant to see which dietary alternatives they have for that social function? Will you stock up on good snacks or plan meals ahead of time to avoid grabbing something quick while you're on the go?
Whatever answers you come up with for these questions, write them down and break them into the action steps that you need to take in order to make them a reality. Then, plan out these steps, prioritize them and get busy checking them off your list.
Get an Accountability Partner -- But Choose Wisely
Certainly, it helps to have a someone to hold you accountable to your goals, and you should have such a person -- or network of people -- like that in your life. People who know what you're going through and can pick you up when you're feeling down or just listen while you vent.
When picking these people, however, realize that there are the right people and the wrong people to trust as accountability partners. The best accountability partners are the ones who are either going through the same thing as you or have already gone through the same thing. Think Alcoholics Anonymous or any other support group.
The two types of people to avoid, however, are the haters and enablers. Both types feel threatened by your ability to make positive changes in your life. The haters will put you down for it, while the enablers will try to playfully sabotage your efforts by getting you to fall off the wagon.
Acknowledge EVERY Success and Victory
Before you can reach the big victories, you've got to celebrate the little ones. When you plan and prepare meals ahead of time, consciously avoid junk food, or even don't cheat as bad as you could have 🙂 make a note of it and give yourself a pat on the back.
Better yet, plan out some rewards ahead of time. For example, indulge in a favorite activity or buy yourself a little gift for sticking to your new way of eating for three days or for reaching a certain weight loss goal. Every victory that you celebrate will boost your confidence and propel you forward toward the new you.
Finally, Persist Until You Reach Your Goals!
Though most New Year's Resolution Diets don't make it past half time of the Super Bowl at the end of January, by following these tips you'll make it possible to stick to your guns and meet all your fitness and weight loss goals for 2012 and beyond! Good luck and bon appetit!
