Five Ways to Keep My New Years Resolution to Lose Weight

Every year for as long as I can remember, my #1 New Years' resolution has been to lose weight. And every year, when December 31 rolls around, I weigh the same or more than I did last year. This year, though, is going to be different. This year, I'm not going it alone. Here are the top five tricks and tips I'll be using to help me lose weight this year.

1. Start with a real diet plan.

It's a lot easier to lose weight if you're working with a blueprint. The last few years have brought several excellent choices for dieters who want to lose real weight and keep it off. The top three weight loss diets reaches far beyond weight loss to help you manage your weight for a lifetime by re-educating your palate and teaching healthy eathing habits. The top 3 diets to help you keep your New Years Resolution to lose weight are:

The Zone Diet

The Atkins Diet

The South Beach Diet

2. Invest in a good cookbook.

Learning how to eat right means re-learning how to cook without all the extra fats and starches. The three diet books above each contain a recipe section, but there are lots of other cookbooks made specifically to work with each of those diets. The top three cookbooks to help you keep your New Years Resolution to lose weight are:

The South Beach Diet Cookbook

Atkins for Life Low-Carb Cookbook

Zone Meals in Seconds

3. Join a health club or gym.

Diet is only one part of the weight loss battle. The other part is increasing your activity level. Working out at least three times a week will help you burn calories, tone muscles and convert more fat to muscle. Don't have money or time for a gym? There are some great workouts that you can do at home. The top three workout videos for home use are:

Fabulous Forever Trilogy for beginners

Dance Workout for Dummies easy-going dance moves

Bellydance for Beginners for those sexier moves

4. Build a support base to help you stay on track.

Losing weight can be a lonely exercise when you're going it alone. The best-known weight loss support groups offer their own diet plans, but there are a couple of online support groups that aren't affiliated with any particular weight loss plan. The top three online weight loss support groups to help you keep your New Year's resolution to lose weight are:

Sparkpeople - voted the top Health web site in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Sparkpeople offers tools and community support groups to help you lose weight

T.O.P.S. has been around nearly as long was Weight Watchers. Take Off Pounds Sensibly offers a range of support options for dieters, including face to face meetings, email and telephone support to hel you keep your weight loss resolution.

Anne Collins Weight Loss Forums is part of the Anne Collins Weight Loss Plan, recommended by doctors around the country. The $19.95 membership fee covers you for a whole year - what you'll pay for a month of meetings for most other membership plans.

5. Keep a weight loss blog.

One of the top tips to help you lose weight has always been to keep a weight loss diary. Update the weight loss diary to the electronic age and get the benefit of building a support base and giving yourself some accountability by staring a weight loss blog. Keep track of your weigh-ins, post pictures, talk about your feelings and your goals - whatever is important to you. Starting a blog is easy with one of these top three blogging communities -- you'll even find support groups and weight loss communities on most of these popular blogging sites. The top three blogging sites to help you achieve your New Years goal of losing weight are:

LiveJournal

Blogger

Wordpress

I've got a good feeling about this year's New Year's resolution to lose weight, and you should have one, too. This is the year to get healthy and fit, and these five tips will help you keep your 2009 New Year's resolution to lose weight and keep it off.