Every year is the same old story, I want to lose the weight I gained during the holidays, well, let’s get started.

1. Get to Steppin: Start by adding more steps to your daily walking routine. Stop parking in the closest park spot. Stop using the elevator and use the stairs. During the summer months, walk to the corner store instead of driving.

2. Home Cooked Meals: Eat out a lot? Well, not only is that expensive, but the food is filled with calories, sugar and salt and is not healthy for you all the time. Cook more healthy foods for your family especially vegetables. Home cook meals are healthier because they don’t have all the process, fried or added calories.

3. Skip the Extra Calories: Moderation! Moderation! Moderation! The word moderation comes into play when we talk about desserts such as cookies, candies, potato chips…. Switch focus to more healthy snacks such as pretzels, yogurt, fruits and veggies sticks or veggie chips. Also cut back on the sodas and caffeine drinks. Try drinking more water or even flavor water.

4. Exercise: Do you have some old exercise tapes lying around the house? Well, now is the time to take them out and start using them. Giving 10 – 20 minutes a day to yourself for exercise a week will benefit you in ways that you could not imagine. Doing exercise during the commercials is a big help also.

5. Support System: Find a family member or friend that wants to workout with you for support. This person gives you that extra push when you want to say NO. It is important to exercise with people that share the same goals that you do so that the workout will run smooth and fun.

6. Time: Set aside time for yourself. If this means scheduling time on the calendar or treating it like a job, if that works, then do it. You deserve time for yourself to be good and enjoy life.

7. Routine: Outline a routine and stick with it. Schedule days and times to work out and follow them. Start off 2 times a week and every other week add another day and another 10 minutes to your exercise. Change up the routines so that you don’t get burned out on the same routine.

8. Tools:

• Clothes

9. Charting Progress: Charting your progress involves measuring your body measurements and getting on the scale at least once a month. Weighing in too often can deter you from your program. Only reward yourself when you can see the progress in your clothes and on the scale. Don’t over reward yourself because you will have defeated the purpose of all the hard work.

10. Putting Yourself First: It’s very easy to get distracted and forget about taking care of yourself. Remember you are one person and to care for others you have to be healthy and take care of you first before you can care for others.

Remember you are special and important to everyone, but care for yourself first so that you can care for others.

Resource: 2012 The Night Owl Mama