Meet Your Weight Loss Resolutions

Provided by Prevention.com


A classic study on resolutions found that 60% of people who set a New Year's goal give up on it within 3 months. But that means 40% succeed. The difference between the ones who reach their goals and those who fall short? Successful changers seek out or stumble onto the right strategies. Here are some that might work for you.

Eat Healthier

Stock up on snacks. When people are trying to eat right, they often toss out their snacks. Then, when they get hungry, they hit the office vending machine. Instead, make the right munchies your first line of defense with a nutritious choice like dry-roasted nuts, which are chock-full of monounsaturated (good) fats and protein--and they're satisfyingly crunchy and rich.

Get your veggies in a creamy, crunchy form. Keep a container of hummus in the fridge and dip in (with whole wheat crackers or pita) when you need something that feels sinful. Half a cup qualifies as a veggie serving. Also, keep a bowl of fruit on your desk or kitchen counter.

Satisfy your sweet tooth--but steer clear of the super-sweetener. Processed foods frequently contain large amounts of high fructose corn syrup. The sweetener is metabolized differently from other forms of sugar, and some studies suggest that its effect on your insulin levels actually prompts you to eat again sooner.

Fitness Resolutions

Start with mini-workouts and add on from there. A study found that short-but-frequent workouts (10-minute sessions, four times a day) produced the same health benefits as a daily 40-minute session. So forget holding out for a trip to the gym; just take a quick walk whenever you have time.

Create a backup plan. Having a fallback when something comes up makes you 20% more likely to fit exercise into your day. So make sure you have a few exercise DVDs conveniently at home, keep resistance bands at the office, and mixing up your workout style can also help.

Don’t Sweat It! Excessive panting and sweating in a beginner means you're working too hard. Instead, pick an intensity that is "somewhat hard." You' should be breathing heavily, but still be able to carry on a conversation. (Heart rate to aim for: 120 to 150 beats per minute.)

Match your exercise to your personality. A study found that paying attention to the fit between activity and temperament boosts the likelihood that you'll enjoy your workout. If you're extroverted (social, chatty), the research showed you're apt to be happiest with high-intensity exercise, preferably done to music (try an aerobics class). If you're generally open to new experiences, check out a martial arts or dance class, in which you frequently have to learn new moves and routines. If you're a driven, goal-directed type, you may prefer a scheduled, high-intensity routine, such as a jump rope class or cardio-capoeira.

Lift weights. If you're doing cardio workouts, it can take as long as 4 months before you begin to notice changes in your body. If you aren’t seeing results adding weights can cut that time in half. To maximize the visible payoff, work out at high intensity most days of the week, and don't spot-train; instead, engage the whole body. Moves such as squats and walking lunges are effective, especially if you hold 8- to 10-pound hand weights while doing them.

NEXT: New Year's Resolution: Change Your Life

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