It is no fun to face another year with the idea of trying to implement New Year’s resolutions for yet another year that are the same resolutions that you had tried to make happen the previous year – and perhaps even many previous years. Yes, it’s humbling to face failure straight on, especially when it comes to staring at high numbers on the scale.
On the other hand, what is the alternative? What are the real options other than to say to yourself that you’ll try again, and hope that you’re more successful the next time ‘round. Yet in facing all of this in the mirror, it’s reassuring to know you are not alone when reading a Research Verified review on diet struggles and challenges. At this particular point, best to look forward and not back, so that this year is really different.
So how to do it? Here’s some tips we’re recommending for keeping your New Year’s Resolutions for 2018, to make losing weight easier, and more successful.
- Commit to drinking 8 cups of water a day. Everyone knows the relationship between water, weight loss and overall fitness. Drinking water is one of those things that you can do and stick to, if you put your mind to it. Our recommendation is to buy a water bottle that you fill each and every morning with the amount of water you need to drink. Or if the water bottle is smaller, to plan to refill it however many times is needed. If you really think about it, drinking 8 cups of water is not that much if spaced out throughout the day.
- Commit to walking 10,000 steps each day. If you don’t already own a way to track your steps, go out and purchase a present for yourself today. And then be sure you get outside to do some fast walking or power walking to get your heart pumping and your body moving. If you’re bored, walk with a friend, download music, or get addicted to the many podcasts out there that have the best reviews. Once you get into a rhythm, the 10,000 steps will no longer feel like a hurdle. Remember that research shows that even just standing up burns more calories than sitting.
- Commit to eating a large salad every day. It does not have to be a fancy salad, but it should have a lot of bulk full of fresh vegetables. If you hate washing lettuce, there are plenty of bagged lettuce varieties to choose from. And if you want to make your salad into a meal, you can toss a whole grain on top with a source of protein (cheese, salmon, tuna, grilled chicken) – and you will surely feel full and satisfied.
- Commit to eating a minimum of two pieces of fresh fruit a day. Plan on eating a crisp apple and a perfectly gorgeous banana and all of a sudden, your go-to snacks including some nice sources of fiber. When you are eating fruit regularly, you begin to appreciate the sweetness from the fruit and crave less processed sugars from cookies and ice cream which are just empty calories.
- Commit to not eating past 8pm. There is a ton of research which points to the dangers of eating late at night, both in terms of weight gain and in terms of unhealthy snacking that typically results when you’re tired and just looking for another source of energy. Late night food sits in your stomach while you sleep, so make sure you have time for a proper dinner earlier in the evening, and commit to being done with eating by 8pm or earlier if you can arrange that.
All of these New Year’s Resolutions are about being healthier and more fit; there is no connection to this list and losing X or Y number of pounds for the coming year. But once you implement good healthy habits, you’ll begin to see yourself different and most importantly, feel differently. You can do it, and you can do it with gusto and strength and energy. Here’s to 2018 and moving forward towards a new you!
