How to accomplish weight loss resolutions in the New Year

WASHINGTON - The best way to shed those extra pounds is to break down the weight loss resolutions into small, manageable tasks you can work on every day.

Stefanie C. Barthmare, a psychotherapist with the Methodist Weight Management Center in Houston said, “Instead of making the number on the scale the focus, look for other ways to find to measure success.”

“I worked with a patient recently who said that when she lost 60 pounds she was going to sign up for a half-marathon. She signed up last June and is running the full 13 miles in January,” she cited an example.

Barthmare said once you set a goal, it’s important to have a vision for what it will look like.

That might be a certain smaller size of pants you will be able to wear, or participating in a specific activity that you physically could not take part in when you were overweight. After the goal is set, break it down and begin rid of foods that are bad for you a little at a time.

“Literally, start by cutting down your intake of soda from three a day to one for the first week, and the next week maybe eliminate cheese from your sandwiches,” Barthmare said.

After the New Year, many people will throw out all the snacks in the refrigerator and begin to restrict themselves. While this might work for a few days or weeks, it’s not a good long-term plan, she said.

“When you don’t come up with a plan to lose weight and the process is torture, you are setting yourself up for failure. Doing it a little at a time will keep you from being overwhelmed, and keep you on track for keeping the pounds off and keeping your New Year’s resolution,” Barthmore concluded. (ANI)