5 Habits To Kick Off A Healthy New Year
By Jason Zawodniak
Millions of people make resolutions every New Year to "Get Healthy" and many of them fail miserably. So what separates the success stories from the failures by February? Well, for starters it's a mindset. So, if you want to get fit and lose weight you've got to change your habits. Here are the top five habits of a healthy person and how you can adopt them.
Habit #1: Healthy People Have a REAL Goal
While goal setting sounds simple -- most people don't know what their real goal actually is. Most women that come to me for weight loss and toning often start with a generic goal such as, "I want to lose weight and tone/tighten." Here's the problem: Nearly everyone wants to be better toned and have less fat, right? But that statement doesn't get to the core of your individual issues. Here's an example of a good personal goal: "I'd like to fit into that black dress that's been collecting dust in my closet for the past 5 years." Or "I'd like to lower my cholesterol by my next doctor's appointment." Regardless of the goal, you need to be as specific as you can. That way, you'll have a clear and defined picture of what you're striving to accomplish.
Habit #2 Healthy People Stop Eating When Full
Fit people stop eating when they feel full. Sound simple? It can be. But, be honest, how many times have you kept chowing down simply to clear your plate? Or how many times have you eaten another piece of cake despite being stuffed? Eat slowly. Pay attention. The next time you feel full, take it as a sign to stop eating. Yes, even if your plate isn't empty.
Habit #3 Healthy People Go Hard
Not only do fit people make time for fitness, they challenge themselves during each workout. While it's easy to simply go through the motions while exercising, you're cheating your body out of great results when you don't push yourself. Exercise should challenge you, make you sweat, burn your muscles, and leave you with a feeling of accomplishment. That means finding a way to make each workout more challenging. Group training is one of the best ways to push the intensity since you can feed off other people's energy, which ultimately takes you to the next level. I have used the example of going to a concert with a couple people in the crowd versus hundreds. Sure, the music and the band may be identical but the energy of having a large group will make the experience. This absolutely holds true for fitness.
Habit #4 Healthy People Don't Buy Junk
Fit people know that if they keep junk food in the house it will land on their waist sooner or later. So they simply don't buy any. Rid your home of chips, cookies, candy, baked goods, pre-packaged snacks and anything else that belongs in a vending machine. Replace the junk foods with fresh fruit, veggies, nuts and other healthy whole foods snacks.
Habit #5 Healthy People Have Support
Fit people don't leave their motivation to chance. We all fall off track, -- but it's how you'll get back on track when the inevitable happens. You know, family, work, illness, and the list goes on. It is so easy to hit snooze or to talk yourself out of the gym as soon as your behind hits the couch after work. Healthy people know if they have a workout partner, personal trainer or boot camp instructor waiting for them, then they are less likely to skip a workout.
Jason Zawodniak is a Pittsburgh Boot Camp owner and Personal Trainer that specializes in group personal training and weight loss. For more details visit www.JustForHerBootCamps.com.
