How to START and KEEP your New Year resolution!

How to START & KEEP your New Year resolution!!

By Nick Sorrenti

To begin, I think it's safe to say that after all of the end of the year holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, we all try to make a New Years resolution to lose those extra pounds and begin having a healthier type of lifestyle. However, I also believe that it's safe to say that after the first week of this so called, “Healthier Lifestyle”, we crumble within our cravings and dig into those donuts that wait for us every morning when we walk into our job(s). My name is Nick Sorrenti, and I’m going to begin giving you healthy lifestyle tips to follow each day in order to stay strong and make your New Years resolution possible. This is so that we can make 2016 the most productive, and more importantly, the healthiest year yet!

Step 1…How to get started!

• First, it is extremely important to set a goal for yourself. Whether that goal is to lose 10-15 pounds, or 50-100 pounds; goals are essential for weight loss success. Matter of fact, goals are important in life no matter what you do, so before starting anything new, make sure to set out a goal for yourself. This is not only a healthy thing to do, but it also will give you that extra push of motivation when you get those cravings to give into your 2015 ways.
• Back on topic…now it’s important to figure out how you are going to make your goal(s) a reality. I find it interesting that a lot of people feel that if they work out, they can eat whatever they please…WRONG! Sticking to a regimen is crucial for weight loss success, and I want you to understand that I’m emphasizing on the word, “regimen”, and not diet. This is because in order to make change in your physical and mental well-being, you can’t think of eating healthy as a diet, because mentally, its draining and extremely frustrating; just the word, “diet” gets to me. You have to think of this change as a way of life, like brushing your teeth in the morning; this regimen that you set for yourself should just be an additional step throughout your every day life.
• I know a lot people don’t like to keep track of their calories, or if they do, their usually doing it the wrong way; either over consuming or under consuming. This part of a diet, and in my personal preference, a regimen, is probably the most important part to follow. This is because if you under consume you’re gradually slowing your metabolism down, and with this, you’re definitely going to feel sluggish throughout the day; this is because your body isn’t taking in enough fuel. In contrast, if you take in to many calories, you will begin the “bulking” stage of your healthy regimen, which right now, I don’t feel is necessary when you’re beginning this new process.
• Now, to figure out how many calories you want to take in in order to reach your goal, or even stay at your current weight, I want you to download the app, MyFitnessPal on your smartphone. Now, for those of you who do not have a smartphone, you can also visit, http://www.caloriecount.com. What’s cool about this website is that if you do have a smartphone, but you feel that the website is easier to use, its also an app on all smartphones. So when you track your calories online, it will automatically be carried onto the app, cool right?
• Next, when beginning either the app or online website, it will ask you your current height & weight, so in order to give an accurate number of your weight, I want you to weigh yourself as soon as you get out of bed in the morning; this is when you’re at your true bodyweight. After this, you will log that information into the app or website and then it will ask you what your goal weight is, so whether it is to lose, gain or maintain weight, these resources will help you accomplish those goals. After this, it will automatically give you the proper nutritional facts to make this all possible. Once you search around the app and website, you will see where it shows necessary fats, saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, sodium, sugars, carbs, etc. My personal preference is the “macro diet”, where you specifically only follow your calories, fats, carbs, and proteins strictly. In my opinion this makes having a regimen more possible to stick to and have success with. I will include an additional link that will give you more information about this regimen, if you are interested in learning more, http://dailyburn.com/life/health/if-it-fits-your-macros-iifym-diet/. This website will also be an additional resource for the beginning of your new life in 2016. It will give you information about your necessary calories; based on your weight, height, age, and gender, which I feel is very cool. I hope this website is handy for you.
• To finish up, the most exciting part of the app and first website, is the fact that you are allowed to not only electronically put in the exact food that you are eating in the search bar, but it will automatically find the nutritional facts for you; and you are also allowed to scan the barcode with your smartphone and it will give you all of the nutritional facts of the food(s) that you are digesting inside your body. With this information, you are allowed to track all of your food throughout the day, with the app doing all calculations for you, including your calories, fats, saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, sodium, sugars, carbs, etc.
• With being able to include the information above into your every day plan, it will give you an idea of the types of calories you are ingesting throughout the day, which can benefit you by understanding if specific foods make you feel differently then others. Some foods in my experience I know will make me feel more energized then others, like bananas, oatmeal, sweet potato’s, and even chicken, even though chicken is a lower source of carbohydrates. In all, if you are trying to consume foods that are going to give you more energy, you want to look more into complex carbohydrates, proteins, antioxidants, vitamins, fiber, etc.
• In contrast, I’ve also experienced that fatty and high-sugared foods, like fast food, frozen burgers, alcohol, and surprisingly bagels make me feel very low in energy. Many people not knowing, bagels usually make people crash because there isn’t much fiber to help convert the carbs in constant energy, which results in an unexpected crash. What all of these bad foods have in common is that they all give me a quick sensation of fulfillment from the endorphins being released. The main endorphin that is released during eating is known as dopamine, a type of neurotransmitter. However, after that endorphin comes down, fifteen minutes later I get a horrible crash, which puts me into a serious food coma throughout the day. Without knowing all of you personally, I can almost guaranty that all of you have had similar experiences in one way or another.
• So the real question for all of you doubters is, are those unhealthy foods that give you 15 minutes of satisfaction worth a life time of unhealthy ways, and a summer filled with regret and shame? I think we all know the answer to that question, but if you’re still unsure, I will make sure to keep including information to help you become a better and more healthier you.

These are all the tips I have for you today, I hope these are helpful for you, and this brings you one step close to accomplishing your goals. I will be writing my next step tomorrow, tune in and get fit!!!

Quote of the day,

“The individual who says it is not possible should move out of the way of those doing it.”

― Tricia Cunningham