Five Ways to Keep the Weight Off This Year

The number one New Year's Resolution in the country is to lose weight. No matter who you are, it's probably crossed your mind at one time or another. We are constantly bombarded with TV commercials and advertisements for “quick weight loss solutions” and “losing 10 pounds in one week.” But as many of us have spent our hard earned cash on these “diet miracles” we have found that many of them do not work. Here are 5 tips to ensure that you keep the weight off this year.

1. Stay away from the pills unless your Doctor prescribes them. There are too many recalls out there for everything-why harm yourself? Taking a multi-vitamin can help you to get the nutrients that you need to keep yourself healthy. Want an energy boost and appetite suppressant? Take a B-12 vitamin.
2. Work out at your own pace. It sounds nice to say that you'll hit the gym everyday for two hours to get that Jessica Simpson body but is that realistic? For most of us that already don't have enough time during the day it's not. Start small. Commit to jogging or power walking 30 minutes 2 to 3 times a week.
3. Eat healthy. That doesn't mean to trade in everything that you love to eat for lettuce and carrots-not exactly. Just give yourself smaller portions of the things that you like to eat. Make substitutions, instead of a chocolate candy bar, make you a cup of cocoa with water instead of milk. You still get the chocolaty taste, and it's only about 100 calories.
4. Don't compare yourself to everyone else. Healthy weight loss is a slow, steady, process. The pounds will begin to melt away eventually. Comparing yourself to others doesn't help you, it depresses you. You need confidence to achieve your goals.
5. Start a journal. You don't have to write down everything that you eat or how many crunches you've done. This journal is for you to explore yourself as a person. Write down your weight loss goals and how you feel about your progress.

Remember, a healthy body can prolong your life and help you to feel good about yourself! Take small steps and you will achieve your weight loss goals!