Momentum - Business to Business Online Magazine MOMENTUM December 2018 | Page 28

Health & Fitness Set Yourself Up For SUCCESS When Starting a New Diet! By: Louie Robinson, DC, CES Clear Creek Chiropractic Center [email protected] The important things you need to do when starting a new diet is set realistic goals, create a plan, and start implementing that plan one step at a time. Remember changing the way you look means changing the way you live. Your lifestyle is what created your current appearance so only changing your lifestyle will change your appearance long term. First you need to set realistic goals. If you want to lose 40lbs in 2 weeks that’s never going to happen unless you want to try and put yourself in the hospital. A healthy level of weight loss is 2lbs per week. Typically losing weight faster than that can cause your body to think it is starving which would slow your rate of fat loss eventually down to none. So, set your monthly weight loss goals for 8-10lbs. Next make sure your exercise plan is something you can fit in your schedule and it’s something you enjoy. If you do not like to run and you’re not a morning person, don’t trying and get up and 5am to run every day. You will find an excuse to avoid it. Find something you like to do and do that. If you aren’t sure what you like to do start trying different things every week. Maybe join an exercise group such as a jogging or biking group. Having an obligation to show up with another person, especially a group of people, will help motivate you to participate. 27 MOMENTUM / December 2018 Another great way to motivate yourself is find others who are at the fitness level you’re wanting to achieve and get a mentor/coach. Someone who has been where you are and is where you want to be can be a fantastic resource. Use them to learn things that worked for them and things to avoid. Having others around you who are motivated and healthy will only help motivate you. Finally, when starting a new diet plan and/or exercise routine it is vitally important to take it one step at a time. Trying to do everything all at once will typically be overwhelming. Start with small simple things that are easy for you to do consistently and build on those things. Remember no matter what you do the most important thing is consistency! Start making a few healthy choices consistently and that will motivate you to do more and more. Set yourself up for success from the start and you will have a much higher chance of making the changes you want permanently.