Email
PrintThe new good life
From losing weight to finding a new job, follow these tips for a fresh start in the new year.
Millions of people across the nation say Jan. 1 will be the day things change. It will be the first day of the new diet or new fitness regimen for the year. But by February, what started off with a bang typically ends with a whimper.
The component missing for many people setting new resolutions each year is a detailed plan on how to achieve those goals. Here, experts offer tips and advice on how to start and complete the resolution that will bring out a new you for the new year.
Weighty matter
Losing weight is usually near the top of the list, if not No. 1, for those setting New Year’s resolutions.
A healthy weight loss is 1 to 2 pounds per week, says Cassie Wrich, a dietician at Hillcrest Exercise and Lifestyle Program.
“We can lose 5 to 8 pounds a week if we follow a very restrictive diet, but the thing with those diets is we’re not going to stay on them very long, and we’re just going to crave things and gain the weight back once we open the fridge back up,” she says.
By cutting out 500 calories a day from what is needed to maintain weight, you can lose 2 pounds a week, she says, noting that simply cutting out 100 calories a day adds up to losing 10 pounds a year. However, it goes the other way, too, she notes. An extra 100 calories each day can cause a weight gain of 10 pounds a year.
Calorie needs can differ dramatically based on age, sex, height, weight and other factors, Wrich says. To get a basic idea of the number of calories needed, Wrich says you should multiply your goal weight or the weight you hope to reach by 10. That number will give you a general idea of the number of calories you should be consuming.
And don’t think cutting back means cutting out. Moderation is key, the dietician says.
“Calories are calories no matter where they come from,” she says. “To lose weight, we just have to consume fewer calories.”
Fitness fanatic
Getting fit does not mean training for a marathon or wasting hours in the gym. The average healthy individual, says Gini McFarland, an exercise physiologist at Hillcrest Medical Center, needs to do moderately intense cardio for 30 minutes a day, five times a week, or vigorously intense cardio for 20 minutes a day, three times a week, in addition to eight to 10 strength-training exercises twice a week. People should complete two sets of 12 repetitions. The numbers, duration and intensity are based on recommendations from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association.
Make sure the cardio is something you enjoy, McFarland says, such as swimming, walking, biking or aerobics classes.
An aerobics craze catching on in Tulsa is Hula-hooping. Hula-hoops are not just for youngsters anymore. Women and men are using the toys as a way to shed pounds, says Margie Sweet, who, along with Amber Nunoz, owns Amazing Hoops, which sells weighted hoops for $55, arm hoops for $35 or a set of both, plus an instructional DVD, for $90.
“You can do this at home. You can do it in front of the TV,” says Sweet, who recommends using the hoop for 10 minutes a day, six days a week.
Sweet says the traditional Hula-hoop targets the core areas — the stomach and back — while the arm hoop targets the area of the arm around the triceps, which tends to sag. The arm hoop should be used for three minutes a day.
For those looking to exercise in a group setting that offers support, Better Than Boot Camp is an outdoor fitness program for women that incorporates cardio, strength training using dumbbells and stretching in one 45- to 50-minute session. The classes, run by Jill Parr, are held at East 41st Street and Riverside Drive (unless weather is inclement or under 40 degrees) and allow for women of all fitness levels to participate.
“Ask anyone here and they could barely do five pushups (when we began),” Parr says. “Now, they can do 20 pushups.”
Parr says the goal of the program is to help women understand their bodies so they can get them in their best shape again.
But no matter what form of exercise you choose, if working out is a new lifestyle choice, guidance is essential, says James Steed, a personal trainer at Sky Fitness & Wellbeing. Steed says a physical assessment is the first step, followed by advice from a professional.
A common mistake newcomers make, he says, is to focus solely on cardio, bypassing essential strength-training exercises.
Also, as gung-ho as some people may be with starting a new regimen, too much too soon can be detrimental, Steed says.
“People get too excited and get into too much,” he says.
Steed recommends that people start out slow and work their way up. Rest is also an important component to any fitness routine. After several weeks of training, Steed says a week of rest may be necessary for the body to recuperate.
A key element in the battle of the bulge is planning and preparation, Wrich says. Meals should be thought out beforehand.
“If you just take a little time to plan your week, you’re going to do a lot better than if you are on the go all the time,” she says.
She recommends setting aside 15 minutes one day a week to plan meals for that week.
“Look in your cabinet, make a grocery list and go buy those foods,” Wrich says. “What we have at home is what we’re going to eat, so if we just have our cabinets full of healthy things, that’s what we’re going to eat.”
Set a specific goal and write it down. Don’t just say, “I want to lose weight,” Wrich says. Instead, write a detailed goal, such as, “I’m going to walk five days a week for 30 minutes at the park.” Also, write the goal down someplace you will look each day.
“Whether it’s just a Post-it or in your planner or on your calendar, if you write it down, you are more likely to do it,” Wrich says.
Zerona is a new, non-surgical way to get rid of body fat. The procedure, which reduces fat in the tissue under the skin, is best for people needing to lose 20 to 40 pounds, not for those who are within a healthy weight range, says Benjamin Jayne, co-owner of Face and Body Medical Aesthetics, which offers the service. Each treatment lasts 40 minutes, and over time patients are expected to lose 3 to 9 inches.
Someone once said, “The world always looks brighter from behind a smile.” So it’s important for that smile to be as close to perfect as possible. But wearing braces as an adult is about as appealing as pulling the same teeth you are trying to straighten.
Enter invisalign, a technique that uses clear plastic aligners to gradually move teeth to the correct position. And invisalign is less painful than traditional braces, says cosmetic dentist Dr. Mike Hinkle, of Utica Dental.
“It just feels tight,” he says. “It feels snug. The technology is world class.”
An added bonus to straighter teeth? Weight loss. Hinkle says many patients lose weight because they do not want to bother with taking out their aligner, brushing their teeth and reinserting it — all for a snack. So they simply forgo the constant munching, which, in turn, causes the pounds to drop off.
On the job hunt
Oklahoma has survived the economic downturn better than other states. With an unemployment rate hovering around 6 percent in 2009, the state ranks better than nearby Kansas, Arkansas and Texas. But layoffs have still occurred. With a new year, job hunters receive a fresh start. Here are a few key points to remember.
Debbie Rowland, co-founder of The Rowland Group, a local employment placement agency with offices in Tulsa, Dallas and Houston, provides tips on how to find that perfect job.
Top 10 interviewing mistakes
Misrepresenting your background and skills.
Not being prepared.
Making negative comments about your previous employer.
Talking about personal issues.
Answering with responses that are too short or too long.
Unprofessional dress.
Cell phone making noise.
Not making eye contact.
Inappropriate handshake.
Too much perfume or cologne.
Resumé writing tips
Understand the purpose of your resumé.
Determine the appropriate information.
Make objective statements specific to the position.
Include a keyword throughout the resumé. It helps with electronic searches.
Use spell and grammar check.
General tips
Always be prepared to give a 30-second elevator speech about yourself.
Network: Tell everyone you know you are looking for work.
Always be honest.
Be positive.
Financial security
With unemployment, bills pile up, wreaking havoc on a family’s finances. Eliminating debt is another way to relieve stress on the pocketbook. Credit cards and monthly payments for items such as a car or furniture are the typical enemy, says Thom Bowen, CFP, a financial adviser with Securian Advisors.
“For a person to really get ahead, they need to eliminate consumer debt,” he says, adding that paying a mortgage is acceptable. “No one needs a new car or couch. People can change their philosophy and stop trying to buy the next priciest, shiniest toy.”
Eliminating debt does not need to be a complex task, he says. The most basic step is to create a budget and stick to it, as well as remove the credit cards from your wallet. If you do keep a credit card, Bowen recommends using an American Express card because it requires the balance to be paid off every month.
Once those monthly payments are no longer required, the money that would go to those payments can then be put into an account for retirement, Bowen says.
