Top 5 Reasons Why New Year's Resolutions Fail

New Year's Resolution, what does it really mean? A New Year's Resolution is a commitment that one person or a group of people make to one or more lasting goals, projects, or reforming of a habit. Usually dealing with self-improvement, including loosing weight, looking better, feeling better, being more focused, more active, nicer to others, more successful, etc.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Here are the top 5 reasons why New Year's Resolutions fail:

1. Unsure of how to follow thought with your commitment. Lack of education.
2. Busy or distracted
3. Convincing yourself that it doesn't matter, and things are fine the way they are.
4. The resolution was made because you were trying to satisfy the needs of someone else "playing martyr".
5. Not committed, the resolution was made to just make a promise or join the crowd.

The majority of people tend to forget their resolution, their secret personal pact they have made with themselves within the first few weeks. Is the pact broken because of being side tracked, lack of confidence or even lack of education on how to succeed and follow through? It is hard to change, however keep this in mind "it only takes two weeks to change a habit."

How about you? What is your New Years Resolution this year?

Done With The Holiday's? Detox Fast!

The holidays are almost over, but if you are like me I feel as though I have taken in a bit more than I needed and not my normal style of "healthy" eating, than check out his easy and fun detox!

Here are some tips for detoxing after the holiday's:

1)Breakfast:
Coffee, tea (non-fat creamer) no sugar, or xylitol if you need the sweetness.
1 cup of non-fat greek yogurt/ with 1/2 cup fruit
Honey or fruit jam for sweetener.

2) Snack:
Water, and veggies. Make it easy for yourself and keep a container of veggies  (carrots, celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, snap-peas etc.) cut up and easy to access when your belly starts to growl. If you are still hungry a glass of non-fat milk or try hemp milk for a fun change (available at Trader Joe's).

3) Lunch:
Steam some veggies, for some extra flavor add a tsp. of soy sauce or/and sesame oil. Shredded baked chicken breast, is a great all day high protein filler. Mix them all together for a healthy and appetizing lunch.

4) Dinner:

It's been a long day and you have eaten light all day, and you are a little more energetic because of the cleansing food choices, so you continue your positive food choices with a large salad. Have fun with it, think about what you want to eat. Remember the best salad you have ever had and make it. My favorite salad is from a nice Italian restaurant we would frequent for family events. The owner was always present at the front door and would take each woman with a smile to their seats and find some way to make them smile or laugh. Maybe it was the atmosphere or the food or both.

But the salad consisted of large chunks of fresh Romaine lettuce, with big fat square of feta (reduced fat or fat-free can be substituted) and big gorgeous gourmet olives, with ripe red Roma tomatoes cut long ways in 1/3's and finely topped with a tangy House dressing. None I am sure was on my detox diet today, however there are always substitutions that can be made.

• Feta- Substituted with Fat-Free or Low-Fat Feta
• House Dressing- Substituted with Olive Oil and Vinegar or Non-Fat or Fat-Free Dressing
• Don't forget protein, chicken, tuna with lemon juice, or sliced up turkey.
• Protein is a great way to keep that full feeling and your blood sugar even.

Dessert:

I will admit I like a sweet flavor after dinner, and fruit is a great way to achieve this. It seems you can do just about anything with it. Marinate it, grill it, bake it. Try some frozen fruit with a drizzle of honey and non-fat milk. Or throw it in a the blender for a mock-milkshake.

Remember: Eat what you love and love what you eat, just do it healthy!

Effortless Strategies to Quickly Lose Holiday Weight: Discover New Tips for 2024

The holidays can be a rough time for many. Holiday gatherings, relatives, negativity, stress, unorganized people and food everywhere. For some, this can be a recipe for disaster. Making it an emotional eating episode and family battle all in one.

Photo: Holiday Family Cake

Shedding those extra pounds gained during the festive season requires a blend of disciplined eating and strategic exercise. Start by cleansing your diet of high-sugar and high-fat holiday leftovers, and incorporate whole, nutrient-rich foods like lean proteins, whole grains, and plenty of greens. Implementing an intermittent fasting regimen can also accelerate weight loss by reducing your eating window and increasing fat burn. 

Additionally, engage in a mix of cardio and strength training exercises to boost metabolism and build lean muscle. This approach not only helps in losing weight quickly but also enhances your overall physical health, setting a strong foundation for maintaining a healthy weight.

Mental resilience is key to successful weight loss and maintaining it over time. Cultivate a mindset that views weight loss as a journey rather than a quick fix. This perspective helps manage expectations and fosters patience, which is crucial when progress seems slow. 

Regular meditation or mindfulness practices can greatly aid in maintaining focus and motivation, keeping you mentally strong against cravings or setbacks. Moreover, setting clear, achievable goals can provide a sense of accomplishment that boosts your mental strength, making you not just physically fit but also resilient and confident in your ability to control your health outcomes.

Here are six actionable tips to kickstart your post-holiday weight loss and build mental strength:

• Eliminate Processed Foods: Remove sugary and fatty foods from your diet to avoid empty calories.
• Incorporate High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Boost your metabolism quickly by including HIIT in your workout routines.
• Practice Mindful Eating: Pay attention to what you eat, savor each bite, and stop when you feel full.
• Set Realistic Goals: Define achievable weight loss targets to stay motivated and track your progress.
• Develop a Morning Routine: Start your day with meditation or yoga to strengthen your mental focus and clarity.
• Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to support digestion and metabolism, aiding in faster weight loss.

Don't fret, it is important to find your center and peace and step back from the food. If you are tempted and eat too many cookies because Aunt Betsy gave you a hard time about your life and was quite frankly a busybody, then just make a choice to MOVE ON.

Photo: Omaha Steaks Classic Surf & Turf Favorites

By choosing to move forward, you are also choosing to move into something better, something progressive, and something that will make you happy. Separate yourself from their unhealthy behavior and habits and begin to make new healthy habits for yourself today!

The post-holiday season often leaves many of us looking for quick ways to shed the extra pounds gained from festive indulgences. To kickstart rapid weight loss, focus on cleansing your diet by eliminating processed foods and sugars which are main contributors to weight gain. 

Embrace a diet rich in whole, nutrient-dense foods such as lean proteins, whole grains, and plenty of fruits and vegetables that boost metabolism and encourage fat burning. Integrate interval training into your workout routine; short bursts of intense exercise followed by brief recovery periods can enhance your metabolic rate significantly more than steady-state cardio. This method not only maximizes calorie burn during the session but also keeps your metabolism elevated for hours afterward.

Photo: Grumpy Butcher Steaks and Chops in Treasure Gift Box

Alongside physical health, maintaining a strong mental state is crucial in achieving and sustaining weight loss goals. Start by setting clear, achievable goals that encourage a sense of accomplishment and motivate you to continue. Mindfulness and meditation can be powerful tools for mental strength, helping to maintain focus and ward off the emotional eating often triggered by stress or fatigue. 

Regularly practicing these techniques can enhance your awareness of hunger cues and cravings, helping you make conscious eating choices. Developing a resilient mindset involves regular self-reflection, which can empower you to overcome setbacks and build a healthier, more positive relationship.

Above: Paula Deen's Cookware (See blog on how Paula Deen got healthy and lost 40 lbs).

Photo: Fathers Day Gift Basket, 12 Gourmet Biscotti

Think Thin Today

Don't dig your grave with your own knife and fork.  ~English Proverb

In today's world it is easy to run from one place to the next, work to home, kids, school work and so much more. Days advance into weeks and weeks into years, and bad eating and lifestyle habits add the pounds. 

When a person (male or female) uses food as an emotional crutch in their lives, its like operating a car with only half of the engine running. Life is great and wonderful and feeling can be dealt with in other ways that eating them away. 

Eating is an accepted outlet, unlike drinking and drugs. It is not viewed in a negative judgmental way by most, but instead people tend not notice if you are 12-30 even 40lbs over weight. And even though media shoves thin down our throats to the point of unhealthy habits in both sexes, today can be different.

Today can be your change. It may not happen quickly, but if you continue on the path of improvement things will change! With an open mind and an open heart your life is waiting for you. 


Your life you were truly meant to live! Healthy, free of the extra weight, and emotional baggage, excepting of your situations today and choosing to move forward to something better.


 I see you right now with the strength and discipline to move forward into something better for yourself and begin to develop the greatness that is already within you!