Fitness 4 Home Superstore: Where Does Your New Year’s Resolution Measure Up? from Fitness 4 Home Superstore:

Choosing your New Year’s resolution is a great way to look forward to the coming year. It’s a time to reflect on the changes we can make in our lives and resolve to follow through with them. Whether your goal is to lose weight, save money, quit smoking or volunteer, chances are you’re not alone! See where your New Year’s resolution measures up among the most popular choices and get tips on how to be successful.

1. Lose Weight. Recent studies suggest that over 66 percent of adult Americans are considered to be overweight or obese, so it isn’t surprising that weight loss is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions. Obesity has been linked to increased risk of stroke, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. But middle-aged adults aren’t the only ones susceptible to obesity! The number of overweight adolescents has tripled in the past 28 years. In fact, 14 percent of kids aged 12 to 19 are considered to be overweight and 75 percent of them stay that way throughout adulthood.

Our Success Tip: Set reasonable goals and stay focused. These are the two most important factors when it comes to sticking to a new weight loss program. And get your family involved! The support of your loved ones will help you stay motivated and it will also combat obesity in both adults and children.

2. Get Fit. Our #1 resolution goes hand-in-hand with this one! Regular exercise can be associated with health benefits including weight loss, longevity in life, mood enhancement, decrease in blood pressure, improvement in arthritis pain and even reduction in the risk of some cancers.

Our Success Tip: Experts recommend at least three 20-minute sessions of exercise per week. With a treadmill or exercise bike at home, you can make exercise a part of your daily routine.

3. Eat Right. Exercise and healthy eating as a combination can be your key to successful weight loss. Nearly everyone puts off dieting until after the holidays and that can lead to disaster when you’re trying to change your eating habits. In fact, diets only work about 5 to 10 percent of the time, or they only work short term. Changing your eating habits and putting thought into what you’re eating will have a greater impact on your resolution in a long term setting.

Our Success Tip: If you find that you’re lapsing in your healthy eating program, try implementing a 90/10 rule. Eating healthy 90 percent of the time and taking a break the other 10 percent of the time will allow you to cut yourself some slack and reward yourself by eating what you want. This will help you stay motivated.