A New Year's Resolution

By: Amber Niswonger

Have holiday meals finally caught up with you this season? Are your clothes starting to fit a little more snugly? If so, a good New Year's resolution would be changing your diet. Weight loss at New Year's seems to be very popular. But most of the time people go on a diet instead of changing their diet. If you go on a diet where you change your eating habits for a short period of time, then switch right back to the way you were eating before, chances are you will gain all your weight back. However, if you change your diet and stick with it most of the time, chances are you will be able to keep the weight off!

Start your healthier eating habits with bread products. Whole wheat and whole grain bread products are full of fiber and they keep your stomach full longer, so you don't get hungry so soon after eating them. Whole grain cereals, like oatmeal, are a good way to start off your morning and keep you full until lunch.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are also a wonderful start to a healthy diet. Some people even go on fasts where they eat nothing but fruits and vegetables for certain periods of time. If you have a juicer or if you have access to fresh fruit and vegetable juices these are very healthy and energizing drinks.

Drink lots of water. Start with six to eight glasses per day -water is very helpful for weight loss. Herbal teas are also wonderful substitutes for coffee and soda, which tend to bloat the body because they make you retain water.

Believe it or not, not all fats are bad. You just have to know the right ones to choose. For instance, the fat you get from a bag of potato chips is much different than the fat you get from nuts. Almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, peanuts appear to be high in fat if you look at the nutrition label. But, these are the good fats, the fats your body will use, instead of storing them. Your body actually needs these types of fats for energy, soft skin and hair, for lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels, because they are very high in vitamin E.

Meat, poultry and fish contain protein your body needs to use for energy. But, these types of foods should be used in moderation. If you have chosen a vegetarian diet, you can still get your protein from other sources, such as peanut butter, soynuts and other soy foods.

There are some supplements you can take for weight loss, but the best thing to do is diet and exercise. Oh, no I did say it EXERCISE! Well you knew I had to bring it up some time in this article. Along with healthy diet, exercise is essential for weight loss. It's good both physically and psychologically. Exercise increases energy levels, promotes lean body mass while burning fat, and lowers cholesterol. It also reduces stress and anxiety, which contribute to many illnesses. In addition to the physical benefits, studies have shown that regular exercise elevates mood, increases feelings of well-being, and reduces anxiety and depression. Exercise comes in many forms - a simple brisk walk is great exercise, and you will feel better after doing it.

So remember, don't go on a diet -CHANGE your diet. Water, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are the basic building blocks of a good diet. By choosing the healthiest forms of each of these you will enable your body to function at it's optimal level. And, exercise, exercise, exercise. I can't stress that enough. Have a wonderful, fun and Happy New Year!