What would a New Year be without resolutions? Most of us make them, and by the end of the first week of January we may be forgetting what they were.
And how is it we always seem to have at least one resolution on the list that includes getting in shape or losing weight? Year after year we make the same promises to ourselves and then it sort of fades away.
Believe me, I know.
So how do we convince ourselves that fitness and weight loss is important, and good health is not just some abstract idea but a goal we really should meet? How do we not become one of the 90% that completely abandon our goals by the end of January? Twelve Tips to Help With the Weight Loss Goals

1. Start with the attitude! If you view losing weight as a big "negative"--like hunger, deprivation and I'm going to starve--then the chances of success are much less.
   View this instead as a challenge and a change for a new, fresh start.
   
2. Set realistic goals.
   If you believe the hype of so many diet pill advertisements showing muscle-bound bodies (of course accomplished in a few short weeks), then you will fail.
   Losing weight and keeping it off is likely to be a much slower process.
   But that's OK.
   Think about this--lose only 3 lbs a month, and by year's end you are down 36 lbs! Not too bad!
3. Set a series of little or short term goals.
   Here's an example.
   "I will lose a pound in one week by exercising 3 times this week and by cutting out all snack after dinner" Then each week you can re-set the goal.
   This is a lot easier than just setting a goal of losing 40 lbs in a year.
   That can seem so distant that we often just quit trying.
   
4. Think through what to eat if you are going dine out.
   It's a lot easier sometime to control the calories if we're careful and cook a balanced meal for ourselves.
   But let's be realistic here.
   Eating out is a very social act, and cutting ourselves off from others by never dining out is depressing and over time will not hold up.
   So hold it to a realistic minimum, but think ahead.
   Think of your favorite restaurants and decide what you can have that will not blow the calories out the top.
   Do some homework on this one! Some restaurants have diet plates, lower calorie offerings, or heart healthy options, some don't.
   Try and stick with those that do offer better choices, and try to avoid the buffets.
   
5. Create a list of foods to avoid.
   Let me help--candies, regular sodas, desserts, lots of salt, fried foods.
   There's your starter list.
   I'm sure you can add some of your favorites to this list as well.
   
6. Make a list of foods you CAN have instead.
   We all get hungry between meals.
   Reach for carrots, celery, or other fresh raw veggies.
   Apples and other fruit, hard cheese, or a few nuts.
   I'm sure you will think of others.
   Now make sure you go buy them.
   
7. Make an action plan to help you accomplish your goal.
   Join a gym, walk the mall 3-4 times a week in bad weather, lift weights, join a fitness class.
   Now add a few more ideas of your own.
   Write them down, and pull out the list often, read it over.
   Are you actually doing it?
8. Get familiar with the calorie counts of the foods you eat.
   Read the food labels.
   It will probably shock you to learn how calorie-laden our favorite comfort foods really are.
   By becoming informed, however, your level of awareness improves, and you can better control your total calorie content.
   
9. Let friends and family in on your goals.
   This can have the subtle effect of keeping the pressure on.
   We don'tlike to let family and friends down.
   Besides, their encouragement can help.
   
10. If you missed a goal KEEP GOING.
    So many times we quit just because we cheated once.
    It actually becomes an excuse to quit.
    KEEP GOING! What's the worst thing that can happen--losing no pounds this week instead of 2?If you use missing a goal as an excuse to quit you surely won't get there.
    
11. Keep yourself Accountable.
    You do this by writing down your scores.
    It would be great to be perfect, but chances are you won't be.
    But taking the corrective action now, instead of next month is a lot better.
    If you're off the mark for months without taking action you'll be way off at year's end!
12. Reward yourself the right way.
    It's a fact that most of us who are overweight love to reward ourselves with food.
    It's time to take another action and learn not to use food as a reward.
    How about getting that new shirt or blouse you wanted? Think about how good you'll look in it, since you met your goals.
    Just remember going out for your favorite pizza (large size of course) would not be the best reward for your 10 lb.
    weight loss reward.
    Pizza can run 350-500 calories a slice!

Let's make 2008 the year you get off to a great start with your weight loss goals, and the year you keep right on going, sticking to your plan and achieving what you started out to do.