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Summer Solutions

Written on March 01, 2008

I'm about help you with your New Year's resolutions for the rest of your life with what I call Summer Solutions. You see a resolution is the act of simplifying something and a solution is the act of solving a problem. Generally, resolutions don't work to simplify things; it's usually quite the opposite, New Year's resolutions being the case in point.

New Year's resolutions to lose weight have never made sense to me, yet it is rare when weight loss doesn't top the list of resolutions each year. Let's think about this for a moment, if a resolution is the act of simplifying something how does adding five days a week of exercise along with a drastic cut in food consumption qualify as simplification? Well it doesn't? Nothing like adding more stress to your life because heaven only knows you didn't get enough of that in November and December.

Summer Solutions are realistic answers to our unrealistic New Year's resolutions. When you are seeking an answer to a problem you're looking for a specific solution. If the problem is how can I lose weight and keep it off, the answer is more often than not that you need to eat less and exercise more. But, you need to be even more specific about your goal and your solution to the problem at hand must be realistic in order to become a permanent change.

So along comes March and what are you doing? Beating yourself up for not sticking to your resolution of exercising 24/7 and eating right. Let's stand back for a minute and look at the big picture. Prior to January you did a lot of running. Not running marathons mind you, running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Here comes January and you are taking your already overbooked, stresses out lifestyle and adding six to eight hours of exercise along with a complete change in food consumption. And you wonder why you can't stick with it?

When the blooming of flowers and trees begins and when we start hearing birds chirping, it somehow it brings warmth to our hearts, joy to our lives and hope for an actual sun tan. School is almost over (double-edged sword here) and the scheduling of your personal life becomes less cumbersome. The idea of spending time outside actually sounds pleasant and somehow the need for chocolate and "comfort" food just doesn't seem as important go us as it did during the winter months. By the way, craving those foods is perfectly normal as our body is simply protecting itself against winter temperatures. So for those of you who blamed it on lack of discipline, you have now been redeemed!

Let's face it, no matter what climate you live in, there is a serious attitude adjustment when spring and summer roll around. How can you not feel great about the sun shining and not having to bundle up before heading outside? Life somehow seems less complicated during the summer months.

This is where Summer Solutions comes in. You see, it is significantly easier to make positive life changes during the warm, happy, carefree months. Summer alters our attitude in such a way that making changes, especially healthy ones, seems like, well, actually a good idea. Somehow finding the answers to problems - solutions - are significantly easier when our mood is elevated. So where to begin?

It all begins by making some small changes. Simple things like drinking more water, eating more fish, and including more fruits in your diet. Small changes = long term results. If you can make mini changes here and there, you are far more likely to make those changes permanent and eventually find that quality of your lifestyle is improving.

You might begin your Summer Solutions by taking short walks, bike riding with your kids or signing up for the abundance of 5K's that take place during the spring and summer months. You could find yourself saying, "Hey, I could do this a little more often, maybe even again tomorrow!" You'll find yourself becoming more active because you want to and this guarantees that you will be successful because you are doing something that makes sense for you and your lifestyle.

Let's fast forward. Now you're now walking a few times a week and feeling pretty energetic. Why not buy a new healthy eating cookbook? BINGO, there you are, making another healthy choice, without deadlines, without stress. Do you follow? You see, gradual changes tend to be the ones that fit your needs and lifestyle and success is pretty much guaranteed. The flip side is that if you're making changes because everyone else is or because you have a deadline (30 pounds by July 1) more often than not, the result is failure.

Isn't it time to reduce the stress of unnatural changes? Aren't you tired of feeling like you've failed one weight loss attempt after another? If you remember nothing else, remember this, weight loss is a by-product of regular activity and sensible nutrition. I said regular activity not hours at a health club and I said sensible nutrition, not starvation.

Making healthy lifestyle changes is never easy, but making changes when your attitude is positive, your life is less hectic and your goals are reasonable, you will have discovered the Summer Solutions vs. a temporary resolution. Springtime doesn't only bring about positive changes in weather; it can bring above positive changes in you!

Happy Summer!