By Robert P. Montenegro, M.D., Family Medicine and Bariatrics

So you made a new year’s resolution to lose some extra weight… and you’ve already broken it. “The Battle of the Bulge” is one of the favorite new year resolutions. You know weight loss can help lower your blood pressure, ease your sleep apnea, and help with your asthma, diabetes, or joint pain. While eating less and exercising is the goal, getting there is not always easy. However, the five p’s (Prop­er Planning Prevents Poor Performance) could make the difference between breaking a half-hearted resolution and keeping a whole-hearted new lifestyle.

Here are a few tips that might be useful, allowing you to enjoy life without feeling hungry and deprived, or stuffed and guilty. This can be your year to succeed.

• Do not get hungry. People who eat regularly, particularly breakfast, have a ten­dency not to overeat.
• Savor your favorites in small quantities. 95% of the time, eat the nutritious foods in your plan.
• Begin “small”: small plate, glass, servings, spoon, fork.
• Watch the drinks: beer (145 cal + 2 tsps. of sugar), wine (82 cal), soft drink (145 cal + 8 tsps. of sugar). In order to burn calo­ries from one can of beer, you would need to walk ap­proximately 20 minutes.
• Stay active. It is very beneficial in im­proving cardiovascular health and weight main­tenance. The goal is to exercise at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity 3x/week (indoor or outdoor).

Lose the weight, gain the life you want

Think about what your life could be like with weight loss. Your health is better, you have more energy, and you’ve reduced your risk of many life-threatening medical conditions. Make this your year. If you aren’t succeeding on your own, our certified non-surgical weight loss program can give you a fresh start.