SuperHealth with Kyle Drew
How’s Your New Year’s Resolution Going?
By Kyle Drew

Does it seem that this article is either way too early or way too late? New Year Resolutions? Why now?

Now is actually a perfect time to dust off the old resolutions you made nine months ago and see how you’re doing. If you’re like most people, the decisions you made back in January are only a collection of ambitious memories. I’ve spoken to a couple of people recently who both asked me to help them with weight loss, and both of them said that they “resolved” to be thinner this year. In both cases, the resolution lasted about a week or less.

So what’s the “anatomy” of a failed resolution? In other words, why did they fail? In visiting with both of them, the answers became instantly clear.

First, they set goals that were too ambitious too quickly. They both had at least 20 pounds to lose, and they wanted it all off by the end of January. So, they starved themselves, exercised too hard, and literally burned themselves out by the end of the first week. You can’t go from “lard to hard” instantaneously. Plus, you need to spend the first few weeks simply driving in the new habits. You have to learn how to do it. Learn what you like to eat, learn how sore you are when you work out, see if you’re going too hard. I’m all for being optimistic and driving through discomfort, but in the beginning, you have to learn how your body reacts to certain things. If you’re doing this without a personal trainer or a health coach, it’s especially important to pace yourself.

Second, they didn’t break down their goals into small chunks. They both said, “I want to weigh ______ pounds by the end of January,” instead of saying, “I want to lose two pounds this week.” They needed to look at the total amount of weight they wanted to lose, and then break it down into weekly goals of about two pounds or so. Then, they needed to break it down even further into such categories as, “What I Will Eat Today” and “Today’s Workout” and so forth.

Next, they didn’t emphasize solid nutrition. As much as they both “knew” to do this, they sort of panicked and instantly went into starvation mode. Nutritionists and personal trainers say this to all of their clients, but we’ve done a poor job of convincing them that it really is true: Starving yourself is the absolute worst way of trying to lose weight. Your body has a “starvation mode,” and in this mode it tries to hang on to all the weight it can. When it absolutely has to burn calories for energy, it begins with muscle, not fat. This is disaster, and when you do start eating again, your body is in “high storage” mode and packs on the weight faster than ever before.

So let’s start over. This time, resolve to take it slowly, but do it right!

Trained in both chemistry and public relations, Kyle Drew has spent his entire professional life either in the conventional or alternative health industries. Drew resigned from the pharmaceutical sales industry after witnessing how medical decisions are made. He has worked with Doug Kaufmann since 2005 and offers nutritional counseling through the Health Food Center in Oklahoma City where he hosts the radio show, SuperHealth.

Those interested in contacting Kyle Drew for his nutritional counseling services can reach him at 646-222-0615, or check out his new Web site at www.KyleDrew.com.

DISCLAIMER: The information provided here is intended for educational purposes only. It is not meant to either directly or indirectly diagnose, give medical advice or prescribe treatment. Please consult with your physician or other licensed healthcare professional for medical diagnosis and treatment.