5 Simple New Year Resolutions For A Fitter, Healthier You!

new year 2007 Here we are again at that time of the year. The holiday season is almost over and it’s time now to take stock of what we are left with. Let’s see. In the gifts department, there’s loads of chocolates, homemade pies and, of course, one too many picture frames with holiday designs around the border.

Then a quick look at the mirror to see if a “little” bit of careless eating over the month-long holiday season had any effect on - Holy Cow! Is that really the same person? But it was just a cookie here, a bite of chocolate there and a piece of pie everywhere!

With the scales showing at least a 5 pound gain of the wrong type of weight (fat, rather than muscle), what is one to do? Make the same old resolutions like last year? Starve till one gets back to the old weight or run like crazy in the gym (but just in January)? Promise to abolish cakes from your life? Not only will these short-term resolutions not work, they sometimes may make it more difficult for your body to burn off fat. Instead, gentle readers, here are 5 simple ideas.

Presenting Fitness Mantra’s 5 Simple New Year Resolutions For A Fitter, Healthier You:

I will make fitness a way of my life: Bored to death by the byline? Well then, make it a part of your life. Make every choice a healthier one. Be it using the stairs for a couple of flights instead of the elevator or eating the whole-grain version of breads or pasta, only you have the control to make the fitter choice at every opportunity.
I will include more natural foods in my diet and reduce highly refined/processed foods: Increasing your intake of low-fat dairy products (milk, yogurt, cottage cheese), whole grain versions of products like bread and pasta, raw, unsalted nuts in moderation, loads of fresh (preferably green) vegetables and fresh fruits will do wonders for your body in the new year just as will the complementary decrease in highly refined and processed foods like white rice/bread/pasta, fast foods, sweets (pastries, cakes, chocolates) and fried foods (chips, doughnuts, French fries).
I will find time to exercise: Maybe you are a morning person who loves lacing up your running shoes right after brushing your teeth or the eveninger hitting the gym right after work. Some, like me, could even be mid-day persons, squeezing some time out for a workout during the lunch hour. Whichever type of person you are, resolve to find, nay, make the time for exercise. As more and more of the studies I highlight in my del.icio.us feed show, regular exercise can ward off a plethora of illnesses and diseases.
I will watch what I eat: This is not about just counting calories but knowing what your ultimate weight goals are and working toward achieving that target. You can begin this easily by finding the correct weight range for your person and then eating the right amount to achieve that weight. Not sure how to go about it? Begin by reading 5 links to calorie-conscious fitness. The links in that post to previous articles should, if read in the same order, give you a good starting point to begin achieving your long term weight and fitness goals in 2007!
I will have my annual physical exam this year (and every year): No fitness advice, eating regimens or exercise can ever take the place of regular physical exams from your physician. Nothing beats prevention, but then the very next-best-thing is catching a problem early. Physical examinations can catch the early warning signs of a wide variety of diseases including heart-disease and certain types of cancers. Early detection almost always gives you a highly increased chance of combating (and surviving) most illnesses.