Top 5 Personal Health New Year's Resolutions

In 2011 I started a weight loss journey and lost the first 25 pounds of my 50 pound weight loss goal quickly and easily. I've hit a plateau and need to make changes in the upcoming year to kick start my weight loss again. My top five personal health New Year's resolutions for 2012 are designed to help me get back on track and achieve those goals for a healthier lifestyle.

1. Pack Lunch and Breakfast

I work at a hospital and, let's be honest, hospital cafeteria food is nothing to shout about in terms of quality or nutrition. Our cafeteria, in particular, is expensive and buying breakfast or lunch every day hits the checkbook pretty hard. A typical breakfast at the hospital would be two boiled eggs and two turkey sausage; not horrible, but I can do better. Lunch really hits me hard. The entrees are usually swimming in butter or oil, the salad bar is the least appealing salad bar I've ever seen, and everything else is fried. It's hard to make smart food decisions when I only have certain options presented to me, and buying food to make my meals at home for work puts me directly in control of what I'm eating.

2. More Fruits and Veggies

When I start packing my meals for work, they will have to include more fruits and veggies. I've gotten by with not eating them and still losing weight, but that doesn't provide the balanced nutrition I need. By adding fruits and veggies, I can feel full for a longer period of time between meals. If I feel like I need a snack, I can grab some carrots or an apple instead of a bag of chips. In the past, I've found that natural sugars from fruit help curb sweet cravings that I would usually placate with chocolate. My goal is to eat three fruits and two veggies a day. While that is below what is recommended for a balanced diet, it's still more than what I'm eating now.

3. Stop Eating in Front of the TV

This is particularly hard during football season, especially Sundays, because I sit down to watch a full day of football and all I want to do is eat. In the evenings at a friend's house, where there is no dining table, we often eat on TV trays while watching a movie. I eat a lot more in front of the TV than I do if I sit at a dining table. It may be completely psychological, but it has to change if I want to meet my goal weight. No more stuffing my hand repeatedly into a bag of fatty chips with out paying attention.

4. Walking and Pilates

I've used bad joints as an excuse for way too long. It's time to get up and move. The weight I've lost thus far came off with out exercise, which makes me lucky (and lazy). Now that I've hit a plateau I want to commit to walking at least three times per week, combined with Pilates twice per week. The dog will be happy to join me on long walks, and it doesn't hurt my knees as much as jogging. I really enjoy Pilates, and I always feel stronger after just a 30-minute DVD. Adding exercise will help kick start my weight loss again and will help my overall health improve.

5. Asking for Help

I've never been one to ask for help, especially for something as personal as health and weight loss issues; nobody likes to say, "I'm fat, please help." I will start asking friends and family for their support with these healthy New Year's resolutions. That means no more convincing me I can eat that piece of cake, and no more skipping exercise for watching a movie on the couch. It's become clear to me that I need a good support network to succeed. If I know my friends and family like I think I know them, they will happily support my goals instead of judging or dismissing me.

With 25 pounds down and 25 pounds to go, there's no turning back now. These five healthy New Year's resolutions will help me get back on track to achieve the active and fit lifestyle I want for myself.