One of the biggest New Year’s resolution is loosing weight or getting in shape. Over 45% of Americans will say that they put loosing weight on their resolution list for the New Year.

In American over 70% of people are obese. Usually during the holidays hardly anyone is counting calories or even paying attention to what they are eating knowing that they New Year is coming up so they can conquer their fitness goals when the time comes.

“Weight loss is a big thing. The problem is that fad diets—the extreme ones that limit a food source or completely cut things out—don’t offer long-term results,” says Dennis Cardone, DO, chief of primary care sports medicine at NYU Langone Health. “Research shows that we put more weight back on than when we started, so you have to ask yourself: What’s the point of struggling through it in the first place?”

Instead of jumping on diets that ultimately only give you short term results try some of these tips that will help maintain a healthier lifestyle for the long run.

  1. Set realistic goals for yourself: Start small and don’t tie your goals with a number of weight to be lost. Loosing weight and seeing results takes time and is a journey. You aren’t going to loose 80 lbs in one night so start small and set small realistic goals that you will be able to accomplish week by week.
  2. Avoid counting calories: Focus on the quality of the foods that you are eating. Focus on cooking smarter and shopping smarter at the store for clean good foods that will help your overall goal of a healthier lifestyle
  3. Avoid limiting yourself: Moderation is key when it comes to switching up your eating habits. If you tell yourself that you “can’t” have something or shame yourself or feel guilty for indulging in something you will end up suffering with lack of control and lower your willpower.
  4. Eliminating sugars: Decide whether you are going to be “all in” or not. Cutting out sugars from the majority of your meals will help tremendously. But just be prepared that cutting out sugars completely will bring heavy cravings. Eventually your mood and overall cravings will go away if you stick to it.
  5. Go green: Researchers have found time and time again that consuming greens such as : Broccoli, Kale, Spinach, and lettuce will overall help you loose weight and maintain a sustainable weight.
  6. Stay active: Whether you are going to the gym, going for a swim, a hike, or a run make sure to stay consistent. Even if you only have time to go for a walk or park a little further away from the grocery store. It’s the little things that eventually add up to results and an overall healthier lifestyle.

Happy New Year’s and here’s to another amazing year!