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New years resolutions are destined to fail because they are not usually remembered much past New Year. The approach I now take is to make a permanent life style change. This involves both long term and short term goals which are realistic and manageable.

To do this, analyze your life. Decide what makes you happy and what does not. Then focus on increasing the happy pursuits and reducing the ones that do not produce happiness. I do not focus on just one goal, such as loosing weight for instance. Your life is more than one goal and there are many things that contribute to weight management. You can't just loose weight without addressing the other factors that contribute to weight gain. Some of these factors are time management, eating habits, stress and exercise.

If achieving the ideal weight is the goal, then start by analyzing your life. There is no magic pill or diet that brings your ideal weight. There is a simple formula, burn more fuel than you take in. Food is the fuel and exercise is the way you burn it. Like all successful changes in life, this must be a permanent change. Temporary changes will only generate temporary results.

Food is the easiest place to start your change. Forget about temporary and fad diets. Radical changes are a shock to your system, so start slow, add and subtract to balance your diet over a few weeks. Current dietary thinking states you should get approximately 60% of your calories from carbohydrates, 20% from protein and 20% from fats. The closer the food comes from the earth the better, avoid processed foods.

Exercise is the next piece in the formula. This doesn't have to be the formulized gym variety. It means getting up off the couch and move. You can walk, play with your kids or pets anything to get your muscles burning off the food you take in. If you're gaining weight, move more and eat less. It is not rocket science.

Sometimes there are factors that limit your ability too do what it takes to accomplish these changes, but there are ways to work around them if you have the desire. My son prefers junk food, so I can either buy separate foods for each of us or he starves until he gets hungry enough to eat healthy. Time is also a factor for some people. You can combine exercise into your day with such changes as taking the stairs instead of the elevator when possible. Parking your car farther away in the lot causes you to walk farther and burn more fuel.

This technique of life style change can be utilized for anything you want to improve in your life. First identify your problem, analyze contributing factors, find possible solutions and implement these solutions slowly. Discuss what your goal is with your family and be able to work the solutions with them. Their support can be very helpful. Most of all, stay focused and committed to achieve your goal. When your resolve starts to fade remember the big picture of what you want to accomplish. Make lifestyle changes, not resolutions. Finally don't be down on yourself if you don't reach your goal, maybe it is not what you really wanted in the first place. Be honest with yourself on what will really make you happy, not what others want you to do.

Learn more about this author, Richard Griffin.
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