New Years Resolution: Lose Weight This Year

If you are like a lot of people, your number one New Year's Resolution for 2009 is to lose weight. For real, this time. You will set out to begin your journey on January 1^st. Most people try to lose weight year after year, often times falling off the wagon after only a few weeks. Here are some tips to make this resolution stick this time.

Determine which diet plan you are going to follow. Some people decide to join a group like Weight Watchers, who has a support group, to accomplish this goal. Others decide to simply watch their caloric intake. Still others try different diet plans, such as Atkins, Jenny Craig or Nutrasystem.

All of these plans have great benefits to them. I would suggest you research each one to see which one fits your lifestyle the easiest way. Jenny Craig is compiled mostly of microwaveable meals, that maybe difficult to stick with if you have an active career that keeps you out of the office most days. Weight Watchers has a meeting each week that the company suggests you attend for support. This is good for two different reasons. The first is that you are weighed-in at each meeting, which makes your accountable. The second is the support group. You will meet and befriend other individuals that have the same struggles as you do. They can lend an ear and be a great means of support to someone starting out on their own weight loss journey. And still there are plenty of other plans and programs to follow. Once you determine which one is best for you and which one fits your lifestyle the easier, you need to get your mind-set ready.

Begin by stocking up on all of the foods that you will need, both for your meals and for snacks. Also, purchase beverages that you will be drinking, either water or low calorie drinks.

I highly suggest you get a notebook and write own both what you consume in a day, as well as your feelings. Most people who do this are surprised to learn how much writing in a journal helps when you hit a plateau. Sometimes you do not realize the bites here and there that you take throughout the day. However, by writing down everything you eat, you have a list of everything you are eating, if you do hit a plateau.

I would purchase a small notebook that you can carry in your purse for all the times that you cannot carry a regular sized notebook to write everything down. Each day, write everything that you put in your mouth.

If you are counting calories, this will be easy to do by writing it all down. You should not wait to write it down because then you have a tendency to forget some bites that you had. Better yet, if you have a PDA, write your food intake into the notepad of your electronic devise. This will be less noticeable, if you are embarrassed to pull out a notebook in public.

Make this the last year that you repeat the same resolution that you have set out to accomplish year after year.