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When winter digs deep and doesn’t want to relinquish its control, you need to stay focused so you can keep up with your resolutions.

Here are some tips to keep you on track.

Thinking It Takes 21 Days to Form a Habit

Great things take time so no need to worry when they do not happen immediately. You are making changes for the rest of your life, not only the next few weeks. Learn to love the process so the path to improving your life is no longer a chore but a hobby instead. Once you see results it becomes an addiction. The first few months are the absolute hardest for the simple fact that we want to see a drastic change in a short amount of time. Coming to terms with the fact that it is going to take longer than you anticipated is the hardest pill to swallow. “Forming a habit” is simple; the challenge is maintaining the habit. You have to accept that this is an all out grind, inch by inch. We drill this into our clients head constantly because it is easy to lose sight of how far you have come. We stress the long term picture and help people to understand that we take it month by month in addition to day by day.

Lacking Confidence

Confidence is key. Focus on your strengths. In the past few months, one of our clients expressed an extreme difficulty in using the stairs in her house and in train stations. Stairs were her weakness and would alter her life as she would avoid them at all costs. With perseverance and time, one step at a time soon became a whole flight and the weakness became something she enjoyed.

Not Tracking Your Progress

The simplest way to describe the success of “tracking progress” is to give you examples of my clients. The majority of people that I have had pleasure to work with to aid in weight loss are required to write down their daily food intake. Keeping a journal allows us to pick up on habits, count calories, etc. that many may think are harmless, but are in fact creating larger obstacles to their end goal. These people who journal, find themselves successful. I have found those who do not, lose accountability easier and tend to fall off. In addition, progress pictures allow to see long term changes as opposed to the glance in the mirror every morning where small changes are hardly noticeable. These techniques allow you to recognize and celebrate milestones along the way, a process that is vital to keeping you confident and motivated.

Keep checking back throughout the week for more tips to keep you on track.

Don’t let your New Year’s resolutions slip this Super Bowl Sunday! Here are some tips on how to enjoy game day without the guilt.

• Don’t get a “false start” on Super Bowl Sunday
  • Start your day with a long round of exercise
  • This will help boost your metabolism
  • A healthy start can allow extra room for treats later in the day

• Get that “first down” whether you are attending a party or hosting your own
  • Plan to bring or serve a healthy dish.
  • Replace fried chips with whole-grain baked chips. & choose low-sodium, low-fat dips and cheeses over other fattening, sodium-filled options.
  • Fill up on veggies and dip instead of cheese and crackers… this will cut calories while increasing fiber for fullness
  • While visiting the snack table, use a plate! Plating makes you aware of what you’re consuming and prevents you from over-snacking

• Score a “touchdown” for healthy eating! Nearly every classic appetizer can be made healthy by using alternatives or simply controlling the portion.
  • For a spin on nachos, replace chopped red meat with lean turkey, sour cream with the fat free version, and use low-sodium taco seasoning
  • Add beans for fiber, which will make you feel fuller.
  • Add vegetables such as lettuce, diced onion, and chopped tomato for an extra boost of nutrition

• Be careful of “excessive celebration” penalties
  • Football and beer seem to go hand-in-hand, but it is full of empty calories
  • Limit your alcohol intake and choose zero calorie options such as water or seltzer

MAKE YOUR RESOLUTIONS TO LOSE WEIGHT AND BECOME HEALTHIER IN 2015 STICK IN 2015!

By the end of January 36% of people have given up on their New Year’s Resolutions. Avoid these common mistakes and make your resolution become a reality.

1. Making a Vague Resolution

“I want to lose weight”, this does not take into account the many number of changes you will need to make. Be more specific and set specific and short-term goals. “I want to eat more vegetables, less fast food and sugar”, or “I want to drink more water.” Set one goal per week and stick to it.

2. Not Writing Down Goals

Write down, share your resolutions and weekly goal. A written goal is more real and keeps you from making a modification when things get tough. Post this goal in several places, mirror, and refrigerator or even set a reminder in your phone. Hold yourself accountable and take inventory at the end of day. Did I eat a serving of vegetables today? This answer is simple, YES or no. Keep track of success.

Then for added accountability share your goal with others or post on face book

7) Set a small goal for your self each day until the new year. for example doing 10 miles a week, you can split it up to 2 miles a day 5 days out of the week or 3 miles 2 days and 2 miles 2 days. Try to make your miles a few seconds faster each week. you have 3 weeks make staying healthy your gift to yourself this year 🙂

8) Spend exercise time with the people you love. Go for a walk, jog, or a workout with a friend or family member. This time of year we want to enjoy the time we have together and help our loved ones get healthier too.

9) The holiday challenge is all the food! So challenge yourself to do 20 crunches for every mouth full of sweets. If you eat a slice of pie and take 10 bites that’s 100 crunches. Now don’t stuff your face each bite, be fair to yourself. Do the crunches after you digest and if a crunch bothers your neck our back hold a plank for 20 sec each bit.

KEEP CHECKING IN OVER THE NEXT WEEK TO GET MORE TIPS FOR STAYING HEALTHY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!!

4. Schedule your workouts in advance. During the holidays, our erratic schedules often interrupt our exercise regime. Each Sunday, plan out what workouts you will be doing and on what day. Make an appointment with your exercise physiologist, or schedule a gym date with a friend to remind you that someone else is counting on you and you must show up.

5. Use smaller plates. Many families switch up their dining ware to large and beautiful plates during the holidays. This encourages us to blindly fill them up and forget about practicing portion control. Instead, opt for the smaller plates in order to make smarter choices and remember to fill half the plate up with vegetables.

6. Hydrate Hydrate Hydrate. During the warmer months it is much easier to remind ourselves to drink adequate water. Now that the colder months are here and the hustle and bustle of the holidays is among us, water consumption typically goes down. While the amount of water required is specific to each person, a general recommendation is 8-10 cups a day. This time of year is perfect for sampling different warm herbal teas to include in your daily consumption.

Keep checking in over the next week to get more tips for staying healthy this holiday season!!

1) Don’t tempt yourself. Being with family is the most important thing, but go into the holiday gatherings with a plan. If you are hosting an event make the smart decision and choose healthy foods so you don’t torture yourself staring at lasagna.

2) Don’t prolong the holiday. Christmas is just one day and people use it as an excuse to “cheat” for days or even weeks. Look forward to Christmas as a cheat day, but staying on track with your program on the days surrounding it is crucial.

3) No time for the gym is not an excuse. If you find yourself struggling to make time to get to the gym with all the shopping you have to do then a good way to stay active is to literally “shop till you drop” Take an extra three laps around the mall each time you go. Don’t try and get the closest spot, park far and walk walk walk! Walking and shopping is two birds with one stone, cardio and presents.

Keep checking in over the next week to get more tips for staying healthy this holiday season!!

Tis the season for holiday feasts, a calendar packed with holiday parties, and weather that can diminish our motivation to train. In November and December we’re faced with every culinary temptation imaginable, which makes it difficult to maintain peak fitness.

In fact, it’s common for some to pack on five to 10 pounds of body fat onto their bodies during the holiday season, which can compromise performance and make for a slow return to form in the spring.

Fortunately, the situation is far from hopeless. It’s possible to enjoy all the festivities–including the special foods that help make the season so enjoyable. Read on to learn about 10 nutrition and fitness strategies that will help you maintain peak fitness during the holiday season

• Eat four to six smaller meals rather than “saving” yourself for that special holiday meal
• Plan a workout before a holiday party or big meal
• In contrast to our “sports mentality” to pick up the pace, when eating, SLOW DOWN!
• Remember the law of diminishing returns
• Take advantage of “nutritionally dense” holiday foods
• Pumpkin
• Cranberries
• Turkey
• Sweet Potatoes
• Chestnuts
• Offer to bring a healthy dish to holiday parties
• Try recipe modifications
• Beware of liquid calories, especially alcohol
• Don’t “hang out” at the appetizer table when socializing at a party
• Use a journal (or an app) to monitor your training and nutrition

Read the full article here.