Sharpen Your Resolve to Get Healthy for 2010

Image courtesy of Ashii

If you’re like millions of others, you probably succumbed to the abundance of food that both Thanksgiving and Christmas had to offer. Sure magazines and Web sites were offering advice on how to enjoy the feast without going overboard, like suggesting the white meat as opposed to the dark (which is lower in calories) or having just one cookie instead of five.

For all those (including myself) who were guilty of overindulgence, here are a few easy (and low maintenance) tips on how to drop the “holiday weight” without resorting to starvation techniques, protein shakes or hours of sweating it out on the treadmill.

Go easy on yourself. Decide in your mind how much weight you want to lose (setting a goal in the initial phase helps you stick to your plan). Determine how much you are prepared to commit to this task. If you are working 10-hour days, chances are you will not have a great deal of time (or energy) to devote 2 hours at the gym everyday. There are plenty of simple and subtle changes that you can make. After waking up, drink warm water with lemon (a cleansing drink which also is a laxative) and practice 15/20 minutes of yoga and stretching. Walk to work or up the stairs as opposed to taking the elevator. At lunch make a concerted effort to leave your desk for 20 minutes to move your muscles and get your blood flowing.

There are no tricks in this game, but there are a few ways you can cut corners. Carry a pedometer to measure how many steps you are taking each day. Aim for 10,000 steps per day, which is admittedly unrealistic for most, but the pedometer will inspire you to be more active.

As for diet, cut down on the calorific Starbucks’ muffins and lattes. Prepare your own breakfast of oatmeal. Stock your fridge with fresh fruit, vegetables and lean meat. Seeing a fridge full of healthy food will make you less inclined to order takeout in the evening. If you want to take it a step further, try food combining by eating your proteins, carbohydrates and fruits at separate times in order to aid the digestion process. Food gets digested much faster when eaten alone, thus improving weight loss. For example, try a veggie omelet (no toast), or brown rice and vegetables (no protein). Fruit digests at a faster rate than any other food group so it should be eaten 30 minutes before or after a meal.

This task should not be viewed as daunting. The first two to three days are probably the most challenging, but you soon realize how much healthier you feel both mentally and physically. A session at the gym is tough on your muscles at first. It sounds cliché, but your endorphins do kick in and suddenly your brain is telling you that you’re actually enjoying this. Once your endorphins work their charms you are already on the (not-so-steep) road to better health.

diet, gym, health, new year, pedometer, resolution, weight loss