If eating better or exercising more is one of your resolutions for the new year, you are not alone—around 60 percent of people set New Year’s Resolutions around healthy eating and movement.
TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly SM), the nonprofit weight-loss support organization with a “Real People. Real Weight Loss.®” philosophy, teaches the importance of eating right and exercising when it comes to weight loss. It recognizes that — just like when losing weight — there will be peaks and valleys when resolving to keep New Year’s resolutions of exercise and eating well. The most important part is to keep moving forward every day.
While healthy eating and exercising are the most broken resolutions, the following are healthy thoughts and tactics to stay on track:
General Ideas
Many of us don’t keep our resolutions past January because our bar is set too high, and we become overwhelmed with the plan we’ve set for ourselves.
While we think about what we’d like to accomplish in 2025, we need to recognize our “why.” Why do we want to eat better or exercise more? Is it to lower our cholesterol? Is it to have more energy to enjoy time with family? When we know our motivations, it is easier to keep reaching our goals even when we feel discouraged.
Our resolutions should never focus on the outcome; they should instead focus on the journey to get there. When many of us are focused on losing weight, we often say we want to lose a certain number of pounds. Instead, our goal should be adding one additional serving of vegetables a day or exercising four times a week instead of three.
If you find yourself thinking too much about the result, think about your resolution on a scale from 0 to 10. How confident are you that you will reach your resolution, with zero meaning you are not confident and 10 meaning you are extremely confident? If your answer is anything lower than a seven, consider readjusting your goal to raise the number. Set a resolution that allows you to answer a nine or 10. Once you feel confident and achieve success, set a new goal.
Food Tips
Food-related goals are often about eating well. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins should be your main focus. MyPlate is a great resource to help you balance these food groups.
It’s hard to rewire our thinking to choosing healthy options versus junk or easy-to-prepare meals. Instead of thinking about the foods you’re avoiding, think about it as replacing the food you used to eat. For example, while you’re not eating chocolate cake, you still get to have dessert that consists of yogurt and berries.
In addition, learn to listen to your body. Eating because you are hungry around a normal mealtime is one thing, but mindlessly eating chips in front of the TV because you are bored is another. Once you feel full, stop and put the easy-to-grab food out of sight.
Fitness Tips
Start the new year off right by visiting your primary physician. Have him or her check your numbers (blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol). Your resolution could be focused on the number that needs the most attention.
When starting to exercise more often, don’t choose a fitness regimen that you think you should do, pick an activity you want to do. Exercising should not be something you have to do instead, you get to do it.
If you don’t like running on a treadmill, don’t plan to do it. Try something new, like dance or martial arts. There may be some trial or error, but eventually, you will find an activity you enjoy. YouTube is a great place to go — there are videos on every type of fitness activity you can think of.
Remember to start slow. Most experts recommend starting with 30 minutes every day. If time is an issue, move for 10-minute increments three times a day. If going to the gym for an hour isn’t feasible, just try to avoid being sedentary. Even 10-15 minutes a day counts — and activities like playing with kids, parking farther away in the parking lot at the store, taking the stairs, and doing yard work or housework are exercises!
Whether your resolution is centered around food or exercise, surrounding yourself with support and positivity is an important part of working toward your goals. Having a buddy to meal plan or exercise with makes the work more enjoyable and easier. A support system also holds you accountable for your intentions. Finding a TOPS chapter close to you is an easy solution!
About TOPS®
TOPS Club Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) is the original weight-loss support and wellness education organization. Founded in 1948, TOPS is the only nonprofit, noncommercial weight-loss organization of its kind. TOPS promotes successful weight management with a “Real People. Real Weight Loss.®” philosophy that combines support from others at weekly chapter meetings, healthy eating, regular exercise, and wellness information.
Today, there are about 65,000 members, including men, women, and international members, who join chapter meetings online, with thousands of chapters in all 50 states and Canada. TOPS also has an online program for people who might prefer that model or who live too far to attend in-person chapter meetings. Online resources include news and information from the health and inspirational community, meal planning ideas, workouts, chapter resources, and more.
Visitors are welcome to attend their first TOPS meeting free of charge. Membership is affordable, starting at $49 per year in the U.S. and $59 annually in Canada, plus nominal chapter fees. Join TOPS, visit www.tops.org, or call 800-932-8677 to learn more about TOPS and to find a local chapter.