The 5 New Rules of Weight Loss for the New Year

If your New Year's weight loss plan includes counting calories, drinking huge amounts of water to flush out fat, cutting out everything white, and exercising five days a week for two hours, it's time to rethink your approach. While all of these are positive healthy goals, the 5 New Rules of Weight Loss won't leave you exhausted, frustrated, and sick of food logging.

1. Turn off technology

   Study after study proves that if we munch in front of a screen, more calories are consumed and we eat at a faster rate, which usually translates into eating more. If you eat dinner watching TV or lunch at your computer desk, turn it off! My clients' experiences support this and they find that the less TV they watch the more active they are at home. Can't part with missing this season of The Bachelor (I know I can't)? Make a rule to get up during commercials or every 15 minutes do a set of squats, pushups, or sit-ups.

2. Work out less

   The more you exercise means more calories burned, which should equal more pounds dropped, but the weight loss equation isn't this simple. Sometimes less is more! Focus on quality of workouts rather than duration; a high quality more intense 30-minute sweat session is more beneficial than plodding through 60 minutes at a ho-hum pace. And it all depends on your starting point. If you're not currently exercising, start with 2-3 days per week rather than 5-6 days.

3. Don't compromise

   Don't let external factors, such as other people and commitments, get in the way of exercising or eating healthy. You are in control of what you put in your mouth and keeping your workouts a priority. Don't give in!

4. Be a little vain

   You've probably read or heard that your motivation to get fit or lose weight should revolve around feeling healthy and long-term well-being, not about how you look. Focus on how you feel, right? I agree to a certain extent, but there's nothing wrong with wanting to like what you see in the mirror or fit into a certain outfit. Visible results are the best short-term motivator there is and there's nothing wrong with that.

5. Eat mindfully

   The final rule ties into Rule #1. When was the last time you ate without distractions or while doing other things (driving, talking on the phone, etc)? Paying attention to what you're eating and slowing down meal time will help you enjoy eating more, aid in improved digestion, and reduce the amount you consume by allowing your body to register that it's full. Try eating all meals sitting down at a table and eating from a plate or bowl, never directly from a package or container.

By following these 5 rules, you can get the results you want without having to follow a strict diet plan, measuring every last morsel of food, or working out for hours every day.

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