Your healthy living plan for 2013

Welcome to 2013, Sonoma. How is it going so far? Three weeks in, and statistics show that 70 percent of all weight loss resolutions have already failed. By the end of the month 90 percent will have failed.  Do you have a goal of losing weight this year? If so, read on. I have a few suggestions that might just help you stay the course over the next 12 months.

I typically discourage people from going big on the resolutions when it comes to weight loss. There is a reason why the vast majority of weight loss resolutions fail, and I believe it’s because resolutions are simply just that — resolutions. Declarations of change rarely supported by a plan large enough to support the goal.

Weight loss is not an easy task and there are many variables that go into losing weight and keeping it off beyond counting calories. The endocrine system is ground zero for weight loss success and there are many factors that must be address in order to have a healthy, balanced endocrine system. Most of those factors involve lifestyle habits and environmental factors that slowly create endocrine balances over time. Therefore, in order to reverse the fat storing pattern we are in, we need to create a situation that will allow for repair and rebalancing of our fat regulating hormones.

Here is my list of lifestyle changes you can make each month for the next 12 months that should have a positive impact on your fat burning hormones. Initiate one new habit per month, and by the end of the year you will have developed 12 new daily habits to keep your fat regulating hormones happy.

January. Drink half your body weight in clean natural source spring water per day. (A pint of water weighs one pound.)

February. Get a pedometer and walk a minimum of 10,000 steps per day. Eventually incorporate speed walking, stairs and hills as much as possible.

March. Lift heavy weights 3-4 times per week. Studies show that building lean mass burns fat.

April. Remove all sugary (and fake sugary) drinks from your diet. Drink water and unsweetened teas…. OK, and a little good quality coffee and wine too!

May. Buy and consume organic at least 80 percent of the time.

June. Get Vitamin D daily! Studies show big correlation between obesity and lack of Vitamin D. The best source is to expose your skin to sun 20 minutes per day. You can also supplement under supervision of your medical practitioner.

July. Eat one organic salad per day.

August. Eat dinner for breakfast. Replace simple breakfast carbs such as cereal and muffins with meat and veggies from the night before.

September. Get to sleep by 10 p.m.

October. Do a liver cleanse, and do them quarterly going forward.

November. Replace a meal with a clear broth soup with veggies.

December. Drink alcohol only on weekends.

There you have it. Twelve habits that are sure to help improve the functioning of your fat burning hormones in 2013… the resolution that lasts. I hope you will stay committed to your health this year – it’s the best thing you can do for your family.