Happy 2012!

Happy New Year everyone!

Holidays are over for most people.  Did you indulge in December?  (Over indulge?).   A lot of people start January with New Years resolutions to be healthier, lose weight, get fit, eat better, etc etc.

The problem a lot of people have is they start with goals that seem hard to obtain (eg. "I will lose 40lbs this year").   You're more likely to have success if you set obtainable, smaller goals.

"I will lose 5lbs this month" is a lot more realistic of a goal, and you'll feel awesome when you meet that goal, and it will motivate you to continue!

So how are you going to meet your goals?

Here are some simple tips for people who tend to be less than active:

Walk.  This may seem hard in winter, but on nice days, go for a walk!  Even little things like parking at the other side of the shopping centre,  grocery store or at work, or taking the stairs at work. Everything adds up.

Game: Do you have a gaming system? (Wii/Xbox/PS3) Look into active games (Wii Fit, Just Dance, Dance Central, EA Sports etc) and have fun while you get fit!

Youtube!  Youtube has tons of things to try- Tae Bo, Zumba, Dance routines, there's fun, free, videos for everyone of every level.  Clear some space in front of your computer, set your laptop up in an open area, setup youtube on your Wii/Xbox etc, and get moving!

Join a class with a friend: Be it swimming, dance, aerobics or whatever.  If you have someone with you, you'll be more likely to go.


Having trouble curbing those eating habits?
Everyone has things that they love- be it pop/soda, candy, chocolate, chips... whatever your food habit is, there's a way to deal with it.

There's a new(ish) trend going around of eating really healthy for 6 days, then binge eating junk food on the 7th day.  This is really bad for your body.  You're spending one day overloading your system with toxins and chemicals or high fats/carbs, when you typically don't eat it.  It will spike your blood glucose levels and overwork your liver, kidneys, pancreas and gallbladder, just to start.

If you can, start by purchasing "healthier" versions of your favourite snacks (baked chips, organic candy, dark chocolate etc)  If you like the fizziness of pop, try sparkling water.

Snack in small amounts.  Don't binge!:  Most people thrive on smaller meals throughout the day.  It's good to keep your metabolism up, instead of roller coastering it.  This is hard at most jobs, so your best bet is to snack.  Figure out healthy snacks you like- mixed nuts, trail mix, crackers, fruit, veggies, and munch munch munch throughout the day.  You can incorporate your guilty pleasures into the mix as well (have a few chips, or a couple of pieces of candy, or throw some dark chocolate into your trail mix).

If you tend to overindulge in junk food- start by cutting down (most smokers will tell you that cutting things out cold turkey, doesn't usually last).  Drink 5 cans of coke per day?  cut down to 4 the first week, 3 the second week etc.  (Don't switch to diet thinking it's healthier. It's not. I will always advocate more natural things versus chemical things, even if the natural things aren't good for you)

Drink More Water: Drinking water can help curb your appetite to some degree, also staying hydrated is important in general, but moreso when you're working out or eating less than fantastic.  Happy Hydrated Organs work better :)

Most of all, enjoy yourself.  If you're working out and not enjoying yourself, you're less likely to keep with it.  So find things you like doing, try new things, and you're more likely to be successful.  Also don't beat yourself up if you miss a day of exercise or have a bad day of eating.  The more you berate yourself, the harder it will be to get back on track.

Stay Healthy!