New Year’s resolutions often manifest themselves in some type of exercise and or weight loss program involving crash diets and boot camp. With good intentions, we promise ourselves this will be the year; we will exercise more, dine healthier, and eat less. My daughter in-law is a wellness coordinator and personal trainer; January is her busiest month. By mid- February melancholy has replaced motivation; her client schedule and class size returns to normal. This says something about how we approach diet and exercise. It’s all or nothing; we set drastic unrealistic goals and expectations. When they can’t be sustained we become discontent, disheartened. So, what is sensible and sustainable? How can we achieve the desired lifestyle changes, and remain content with ourselves along the way? The answer: small changes over a long period of time.
Actress Delta Burke struggled with her weight for years; she took a patient approach. She decided, if it took her 10 years to lose the desired pounds- so be it. Her goal was to stop gaining. This confirms what my college nutrition professor shared about maintaining your weight, “You may think a one pound weight fluctuation each year is harmless. If, at 20 years old, you gain a pound per year by the time you’re 50 you’ve gained 30 pounds.” Delta figured it out, she made lifestyle changes to maintain her weight and weight loss was the benefit. It worked; it took 10 years.
More recently, matriarch Mama June, of Honey Booboo fame, lost over a 100 pounds. Did she quit the Cheetos? She’s quoted as saying, “ I have lost 115 pounds, but that's because I’m on the go. We love fried food, but I lost that weight because I’m more active doing things.” Her fingers remain orange but she’s been off the couch since the show’s inception in August of 2012; a small change she didn’t recognize until her clothes no longer fit. Should she cut out fried foods and Cheetos? Remember, small changes over a long period of time.
There is always a mirage in the mirror, an ideal weight we see for ourselves. Fugetaboutit. There is always a day looming over us to begin a diet and exercise regime. Fugetabout that too. Let’s simply enjoy who we are, while making small realistic changes to get where we want to be. Stephen Stills says it best, “If you can’t be with the one you love, honey- love the one you’re with.”  Happy Valentine’s Day!
Best of the Best, small changes:
• Park far out in the parking lot
• Don’t eat anything after 6 p.m.
• Drink water
• Every time you go up stairs and back down repeat it two or more times– only takes a minute.
• Stick with meat, fruit, vegetables, eggs, milk and plain yogurt during the week
• Walk to the mailbox; take two laps
• Limit daytime TV to one hour
• Don’t eat at your desk
• Pre-plan healthy snacks
• Eat breakfast; it doesn’t have to be breakfast food
• Cut out processed food and junk food
Food for Thought:
• Don’t think about losing 30 pounds think about losing a pound a month or a pound every two months.
• Don’t think about an hour long work out, think about three 5-10 minute sets throughout the day.
• If you don’t meet the goal before the wedding, reunion, beach trip, whatever, love the one you’re with; that’s what a good tailor is for.
Cathy Best discovers new things daily.

Contact her to share local resources, books, blogs, Web sites and apps you’ve discovered: bestdiscovery@aol.com.
Printed in the February 14, 2013 edition