For many of us losing weight, eating better and working out top the New Year's resolution list. Now comes the hard part - keeping those promises past January. To help you stay on track throughout the year, our nutrition expert, Leslie Beck, is here to give us strategies to stack the odds of success in our favour.
Why do most people end up breaking their resolutions to eat better or lose weight?
It is true that many people lose steam by February. For many, the problem is trying to make too many changes at once, something that's incredibly hard to do. Others view New Year's resolutions as an "all-or-nothing" endeavour. They pat themselves on the back for being really "good" when they're eating well and hitting the gym regularly. But then, the slightest slip can bring on feelings of guilt making it tough to get back on track - and eventually old habits creep back.
How successful you'll be at making New Year's resolutions stick depends on how you approach your goals. Instead of making bold statements to transform your diet and your body, start small. Research shows that making gradual changes - letting your brain to adapt to one change at a time - is the best way to maintain changes over the long term.
So how can people be successful? What tips can help people stay on track throughout the year?
Whether someone wants to lose 20 pounds, lower their blood pressure, or just eat better there are certain things that will help ensure success.
Get proper rest. If you don't get enough sleep, this should be your first New Year's resolution. A lack of sleep can derail your vows to eat healthfully in a number of ways. First of all, when your energy level drops you're more likely to reach for something sugary or starchy to boost your energy. And you don't have the mental energy to plan meals and snacks in advance. Feeling tired also reduces the motivation to exercise and burn off excess calories.
But too little sleep also influences hormone levels in the body that regular weight control. Sleep deprivation alters hormones that regulate appetite which can lead to overeating and weight gain. Sleep deprivation is thought to increase production of ghrelin, the hormone that tells us we're hungry, and decrease production of leptin, the hormone that tells us we're full.
Adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep you need each night. Children and teenagers need 9 to 10 hours each night.
Any tips to help people who want to lose weight this year?
Curb night time snacking. Eating after dinner can be a big culprit for excess calories. Most people who snack after dinner do it out of habit not hunger. And switching from cookies to celery sticks won't break the habit - it may be a lower calorie choice but you're still munching.
I tell my clients to get in to the habit of drinking tea, herbal tea, or even light hot chocolate in the evening. Make a mug if tea before you start to crave something to eat. Once you're finished drinking a hot beverage, most cravings have passed. It can take 30 minutes to finish a mug of tea versus 3 minutes to eat a few cookies.
Don't snack out of the bag. The only way to know how much you're eating is to measure out a portion and put it on a plate. Whether you snack on crackers, mini rice cakes, or pretzels, read the nutrition label to learn how much food is one serving and then measure that out. Seeing your food on a plate means you will also pay attention to the fact you are eating, something you don't do if you continually reach your hand in a box or bag. Bottom line: read nutrition labels and start measuring out your portions.
If you just want to eat better in 2010, what resolutions would you recommend?
When it comes to improving your diet, make one or two small changes each month.
To increase your intake of heart healthy omega-3 fats, eat oily fish twice per week. Good choices that are also low in mercury include salmon, trout, sardines, Arctic char and herring. You might also make a plan to eat vegetarian meals two or three times per week. On the weekend make a batch of minestrone, split pea or lentil soup to have for lunch during the week. Serve tacos with black beans instead of ground meat.
But to help your healthy eating resolutions stick, you need to be organized. So first and foremost, plan meals in advance. On the weekend, spend a few minutes thinking about the week ahead. Map out your meals, healthy snacks and workouts. Use your weekly planner to determine your grocery list. If scheduling a week's worth of meals seems too daunting, plan only for one or two days in advance. I get my clients to use their food diaries as a planning tool - I have them write them out one day in advance.
Any other nutrition tips for 2010?
I think it is really important to gradually make small changes because they are far more likely to last. But it is also important to remember we are all human. Allow yourself to slip up from time to time. Changing eating habits or losing weight does not require perfection. If you allow yourself to lapse occasionally, rather than beating yourself up, you'll be much more likely to pick up where you left off.
