New Year...New You?

January, 2013 has arrived, and it is a perfect time for a fresh start!  I know that the holidays provide various hurdles to healthy habits we may have previously maintained, and we may have fallen off the wagon a time or two.  There is no better time to re-examine our health and fitness goals than the present.  As you are thinking through the things that you would like to change, or "get back in the habit of," here are some questions to help get you thinking.

• What were my nutrition and exercise goals for 2012?  How often did I accomplish these goals?
• What kept me from meeting my nutrition and exercise goals for 2012?
• What changes would I like to see in my health and quality of life for 2013?
• What changes can I make in the way that I eat in order to be more healthy?
• What changes can I make in my exercise routine to push myself toward healthier living?

It also helps to write down your goals and track your progress throughout the year.  This way you have a journal that you can review at the end of the year to see if you met your goals, or what kept you from accomplishing them.  This journal can include...

•  A simple notation of what type of physical activity you do each day and how long you do it. 
• A food log (1 week of recording should be sufficient) to see where you may need to make changes.
• Your main goals for the year, broken up into monthly goals that can be met little by little.

To ensure success in meeting your goals, I highly recommend having collaboration from others to keep you motivated and accountable for reaching your goals.  It also helps to educate yourself in the areas of fitness and nutrition so that you know you are doing the right things for your body.  Here are some examples of GOOD SOURCES OF INFORMATION:

• A qualified personal trainer or exercise physiologist

                                                               

• A registered dietitian, nutritionist, or sports dietitian 

                                                        

• A chiropractor who practices preventive care

• Scientific journals (a good place to start would be http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed)  

The following would be some examples of QUESTIONABLE SOURCES OF INFORMATION.  If you find health information here, you should definitely see if it agrees with verified research from a good source of information:

• The internet (generic random searches for health advice don't always go to trustworthy sites)

                                                          

•  Certain magazines you might find while standing in line at the grocery store

         

• Health books written by individuals who do not have a degree in a fitness or health-related field, and/or who promote questionable fad diets and exercise routines that have no scientific basis.

Once you have created your goals based on the right type of information, go get'em!  I encourage you to make 2013 your best year yet, and become the healthiest you that you can be.  Get your support team together so that they can cheer you on and help move you forward to your goals.  You can do this!