By JACOB GLASSNER
Staff Writer
It’s that time of year when clothes get a little snugger and stairs seem a little steeper.
And when the ball drops on New Year’s Eve, the most popular resolution will be to lose weight and get in shape.
However, it’s often a resolution that doesn’t last past January.
But it doesn’t have to be that way, according to Stacey Vicari, a local life coach, and the key is looking at the big picture.
“When people look at a year in isolation … it’s really hard to stay motivated,” said Vicari, who owns Ideal Life, a coaching business in the Highlands.
Many resolutions t/files/storyimages/to be random, so she recommends making resolutions fit into a five- or 10-year life plan, which makes them more focused and specific.
Decide what you want your life to look like in five years, develop a timeline and a strategy, and take little steps toward reaching your goals, said Vicari.
And plan each step into your schedule.
Hitting the gym
It’s common for people to buy a yearlong gym membership, work out for a month and never return.
Beth Robards, assistant fitness director at Baptist East/Milestone Wellness Center, offered a few tips on how to stay in the gym habit.
The first is to set short-term goals that are realistic; more than likely, you’re not going to lose 20 pounds in a month.
“If you meet short-term goals, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment and continue,” said Robards. Reward yourself after you meet those goals.
Also, don’t make too many resolutions and get overwhelmed, she said.
In many cases, people start out gung-ho and go to the gym five or six times a week, only to get burned out or injured, said Robards. It’s better to start at a moderate pace, which is easier to maintain; three or four times a week should do it.
A key to staying in an exercise routine is to figure out why you want to lose weight or get in shape, said Robards.
Is it for health or aesthetic reasons or for other reasons?
“If you realize your reason for getting in shape, you’re going to be more motivated,” she said.
Although it varies by overall body size, healthy weight loss is about 1 pound a week, she said.
New Year’s diet
Exercise and diet go hand in hand when it comes to losing weight, said dietician Trende Kyser.
“If you really want to gain weight-loss momentum, it has a lot more to do with what you’re eating on a daily basis,” said Kyser.
Keep this in mind: 1 pound of fat equals about 3,500 calories.
While there are countless ways to lose weight and keep the pounds off, you have to find one that works for you, said Kyser.
“It has to be a lifestyle change,” she said. “It has to be something you can do your whole life.”
Kyser, who is the health educator for Milestone’s Healthy Solutions weight management program, advocates increasing fruit and vegetable consumption to five servings a day as a way to lose weight.
In addition to the health benefits, “you get a lot of volume without the calorie consequences.”
Who’s watching?
The tradition of making New Year’s resolutions is based on the mythical Roman king Janus, after whom the month of January is named.
Janus had two faces so he could look back to the past and forward into the future.
When you make a resolution, sometimes it’s good to have someone looking over your shoulder.
Vicari said that if you tell your mate or someone close to you about your plan, he or she can help keep you accountable. Life coaches can do the same.
Regarding exercise, Robards said a personal trainer can help you stay motivated.
Kyser said that joining a weight-loss program or having someone diet with you helps with the motivation factor.
Completing the puzzle
Vicari often compares setting goals to the connect-the-dots puzzles we all used to do as children.
When you create a life plan, you may place a hundred small dots (goals) on a page, but you only need to focus on connecting one dot at a time to complete the big picture.
Milestone to hold health seminar
Baptist East/Milestone Wellness Center, at 750 Cypress Station Drive, will host a “Seize the Moment” Seminar on Saturday, Jan. 14, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The seminar will feature experts on life planning, exercise, diet and personal peace. A continental breakfast and a box lunch will be included.
The cost is $8 for Milestone members and $10 for non-members. To register, call 896-3900 ext. 151, or visit baptistmilestone.com.
