Getting Ready for the New Year

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Most people believe they gain a lot of weight over the holidays. Of course, why wouldnt they? For most US households, the season that starts with Halloween and ands with that Champagne toast in the final minutes of December is punctuated by candy, cookies, eggnog, special dinners, parties and a dozen other things that come with calories counts higher than your credit card balance.

How much do you think you gain this time of year? Most people think 5 to 10 pounds. The good news is, its not usually anywhere near that. A study conducted in the year 2000 and published in the New England Journal of Medicine (A Prospective Study of Holiday Weight Gain), found that between Thanksgiving and mid-January, most people only gain just under a pound. The bad news? We tend to do this every year and never take it off. This study found the following things:

• The average adult in the US gains just under a pound per year
• Almost all of this is gained during the holidays
• Most people never take this off, so it is cumulative, year after year
• Holiday weight gain contributes significantly to lifetime weight gain for this reason

So its no wonder we want to try to lose weight in the New Year. Forty-five percent of adults who make resolutions will resolve to lose weight. And trust me, the weight loss industry knows this. January is the biggest season of the year for new gym memberships, enrollment in weight loss programs, and the purchase of diet products. Right now, they are thinking about you eating those cookies that your neighbor made, and they are laying in wait.

So how do you make smart choices going into the New Year?

When most people set a weight loss resolution it is about a number. I want to lose _ pounds. I am going to suggest that it this is you, you should try something different this year. Try setting a health resolution instead. Ask yourself what can I do this year to help myself be healthier and make a list of the things that you need to help you on your way. This list might look like this:

1. Make doctors appointment. If you want to be healthy and lose weight, this is a great place to start. Talk to your doctor about your weight. Get an accurate scale weight and BMI (Body Mass Index). Get labs done to see how healthy your heart is and what your blood sugar is. Find out if you may be a candidate for weight loss surgery, or if diet and exercise are a better option.

2. Dont just run out and join a gym, make a consult (or 2) with a trainer. One thing you will find in abundance in January – free trail memberships. Find 2-3 fitness facilities in your area and try before you buy. See if you can get a 15 or 20 minute consult with a trainer, try a free class, etc. If you like what you are signing up for, and it is convenient, you are much more likely to do it.

3. Clean out your kitchen. Healthy – and thinner – start at home. Still have Halloween candy and cookies in the house. Toss them. Think about stocking your kitchen with healthy staples so that good food is always there and temptations are not. If you eat out regularly, locate some healthy restaurants in your area that can become new favorites.

4. Dont do it alone. While it is great to get healthy by yourself for yourself, most people will be more successful if they can do this with others. Maybe you enlist your whole family in a wellness strategy, or get your best friend to join you for walks.

My final words: be wary of the quick fixes that will be everywhere come January 1. There are NO super-fast, super-easy ways to lose 10 pounds in a week, or 30 pounds in 30 days, or melt away fat while you eat. These are mostly super-fast, super-easy ways to spend your money.

See you all in 2008!

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