A New Year's Resolution to Get in Shape and How to Keep It

Like many Americans this New Year's Eve, I will be making a New Year's resolution. The tricky part about making resolutions is that you actually want to keep them. And follow through. My biggest resolution for this coming year is to get in shape. Not just lose weight, but to get healthy and in shape. So, how do I keep this resolution and actually follow through? Here are five ways that I plan to keep my resolution to get in shape for 2009.

Portion Control

So many of us eat our meals in a rush or while watching television that we really have no idea how much food we have eaten. Portion control is a big part of controlling how many calories you are putting into your body. Rather than try to count calories and deny myself, I plan to limit the total amount that I am eating. Eat sensible portions and chew completely before swallowing. Pay attention to my food and not everything else around me. Not only will I realize I am full right away, but I will enjoy the food that I am eating. By not eating mindlessly, I will be able to stop eating at the first signs that I am full. Seconds have become normal in today's society. I will try to eat only what I need to eat.

Moderation not Starvation

If I really, really want chocolate, then I am going to eat it. By allowing myself to have a small portion of the foods that I crave, I will keep myself from binging and eating more than I should. A small serving of chocolate ice cream is better than a whole pie. Believe me. I've been there! Allowing yourself to enjoy special treats will keep you from feeling starved and/ or deprived. Being starved or deprived is a sure fire way to go off any diet.

Moderate exercise

I plan to begin exercising in small amounts to begin with. Walk a lap at the track each day. Do 10 jumping jacks. Do half off a work out video. Enough hat I will feel the exercise but not so much that I feel overwhelmed. Adding in a little more exercise each day will eventually get me to the point that I need to be at. My final goal for exercise is to do at least 30 minutes every other day. And walk every day for at least a mile. This will get my heart in shape as well as helping to burn calories and lose weight.

Food Diary

If I am not paying attention, I can eat my weight in food every day. If I look back at the end of the day and realize how much I have eaten, it makes me sick. By writing down everything I eat, I am thinking about it and making myself aware of the amounts and types of food that I am eating. This is also a way to track troublesome cravings and food addictions. Once you know the times of day or the types of food that are getting you in trouble, then you can focus your willpower on these areas.

Baby Steps

While my resolution is to "get in shape", this wide angle view can be overwhelming. The best way that I have seen to accomplish any goal is to break it down into smaller baby step goals. Make a smaller goal each week and reward yourself when you have accomplished that goal. Maybe allow yourself an extra long bubble bath at the end of the week. Or a trip to the mall to window shop. Or even a night out with your husband at the movies. Some ideas for smaller goals would be to increase your exercise from one lap to two each day. Or to chew your food completely before swallowing each meal. Or to find new recipes for heart healthy dishes that your family will enjoy. Or even to lose one pound each week. Whatever goals you set, make them fairly easy to reach and build on them each week.

My resolution this New Year's is to get in shape not just for myself, but for my family. The rewards for reaching my goals and keeping this resolution are tremendous. I will live to see my grandchildren tomorrow and be able to enjoy my children today. Keeping this in mind, and following these steps I have listed, I will keep my resolution this year and will start 2010 in better shape than I have been in for years.