The New You Can't Weight in 2012!

Hello Readers!

Newer to writing I am., but age old message I bring. Time for a New Year. Auld Lang Syne. Out with the old, (Th)in with the New. Time for a NEW YOU! I have some suggestions to help you to start 2012 right:

1) Love yourself. Love yourself at your current weight. Self loathe is not a positive emotion and can hold you back from your ultimate goal. See yourself at your desired weight. To help you do this go to the website www.weightmirror.com

2) Don't DIE-t. Weight loss does not work in the long term. Instead, look at the food you eat as a fuel that your body needs. Look at eating as a lifestyle. Make it a game to see what fuel your body needs for the activity it is doing.

3) Nutrition is primary, Nutrition is primary. Exercise is a nose finish secondary. Investigate the “clean eating” philosophy. Basically, eat what comes from mother nature. If you can envision it as a natural source, you can eat it. If it is processed, keep it off your palate. Example-white bread vs. whole wheat bread. Whole wheat bread is the better choice because the white bread was processed to become white. One little known fact is that even food labels stating “no trans fat” may be a product that contains trans fat. This is because the item has less than .5 grams of trans fat and the manufacturer can claim “no trans fat” . To circumvent this, look at the list of ingredients. If the words “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” are on the label, it has trans fat. Avoid foods with any trans fat.

4) Seek out a personal trainer. This isn't necessary for everyone, but if you want to lose fat or learn how to exercise, I think that this should be a priority. Think about it. In the past, you may have purchased a lot of weight loss books that became shelf-help instead of self-help books. That is a lot of wasted money. Do yourself a favor, set yourself up for success. Bring in an expert who can guide you through the process of proper exercise and nutrition for your goals. I do believe that if you invest in yourself and your well-being, it motivates you and inspires you to continue to live a healthy lifestyle. Exercise does not have to be awful. I think that a good trainer is imperative to everyday health and happiness. Look for a certified trainer who incorporates corrective exercises in their exercise program.

5) Finally, some “tips” that everyone likes to see in these columns-I'll call these ”fat loss” tidbits. These tips do not work in a vacuum (see item 3 above), but, together with proper nutrition and exercise, they will help! ***

+ Eat multiple meals (at least 6) per day. Have a protein source at each meal.
+ Reduce Carb Intake.
+ Do Interval training combined with resistance training.
+ Add Omega 3 (cold water fish) and Omega 6 (nuts and seeds) to your diet.

6) If you fall down and miss a day of exercise, eat junk, don't rest or do something destructive on the the “New You Plan”, refer to item 1 above). Forgive yourself and move on. Don't give up!

Laura Clancy is a NPTI Certified Personal Trainer and Certified Nutritional Consultant who lives in Arlington, VA. She is currently a member of the prestigious Coaching Group of Results Fitness in Santa Clarita Valley, CA. She can be reached at jaclancy@aol.com or 703)209-3085. ***Always consult a physician before beginning a diet and exercise program.