Your new You

It’s the new year! Ok ok I’m a little late. Forgive me for my lapse in blogging, it’s been a crazy month. So are you on a new year’s resolution plan yet? Well if you’re struggling, you’re not alone. Many people find it tough to get on that train. So here are my 3 tips for getting your choo choo going:

1. Make Plans: Like anything in life, weight loss doesn’t just happen on it’s own (as much as we wish it did!). And in this case, you need two plans:

a. Your Exercise Plan: Write down your weekly schedule of days in the gym (or other form of exercise such as an outdoor run, walk, etc…), and days off. Your goal should be 4-5 days of exercise each week. Sundays are a really good day to start your weekly plan so you’re ready to go each Monday. See my site (TheGymCoach.com) for some easy routines: http://www.thegymcoach.com/Home_Page.html

b. Your Eating Plan: Plan your week’s meals before you go to the grocery store. This insures you have everything you need to build healthy meals ready to go. Here are some EASY plans:
Breakfast: oatmeal, eggs with salsa, whole grain cereal, yogurt, fruit
Snack: apple & cheese, cottage cheese, triscuts, almonds or other nuts,
Lunch: turkey or tuna on whole wheat bread or wrap (no cheese), pb&j sandwich on whole wheat, veggie burger (no mayo)
Snack: (same options as above)
Dinner: chicken or fish, vegetables & rice, chicken stir fry, salmon salad, bean & cheese burrito on whole wheat wrap, whole wheat pasta & marinara sauce

2. Eat Breakfast. Recently, a Runner’s World article reported that eating early in the day kicks your metabolism into gear so you start to burn calories http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-304--12988-1-1-2,00.html

3. Keep a Journal: A study of nearly 1,700 participants by the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research found that people who keep daily food records lose twice the weight as those who don't. (Runners World). Here’s a good resource for journaling: http://exercise.about.com/od/weightloss/a/newyear_3.htm

And if you mess up, don't worry. Remember every day is a fresh start. Good luck out there!