Every year, we all make resolutions. Some of these resolutions involve our finances, our jobs, or even our health. But no matter what are goals are, most of us fail. Why is this?

As we close in on 2009 and approach 2010, let’s explore one of the reasons we fail at our resolutions: we go at it solo! There is something to be said for “strength in numbers” and this even applies to living a healthy lifestyle. This year, when you are coming up with your list of things to do differently in 2010, find a partner in crime, or multiple partners in crime for that matter! By finding others who share your New Year’s goals, you will find others to motivate you, to inspire you, and to keep you accountable. If you can put together this “fitness crew” of sorts, you will have a much better chance of reaching your goals, plus, you might actually enjoy your time working out or cooking up healthy meals more with others around!

So where do you find these crew members to help you with your New Year’s goals? Friends and family are a good place to start. Also, if you are having a hard time finding others who share your goals, check with your gym or a trainer that you know to set you up with others. Another great idea is to post a status update on Facebook asking your Facebook friends to join you with your goals. There are a lot of people this time of year that might have the same aspirations for 2010 that you do, you just have to find them.

Over the years, I have seen many people make their New Year’s resolutions come true; hopefully this year is your turn!

 Happy New Year!

The holiday season is full of family and friends, good cheer and good times. However, for some, it can be a time of angst and frustration. Going to all the holiday parties can be quite overwhelming for those who are managing their weight. Here are a couple of things you can do to make the holiday gathers less stressful…

Don’t eat before you go to a party. Oftentimes, people will eat so they are not hungry thinking this will help them not eat at the party. Unfortunately, they will still eat at the party and have just consumed twice as many calories than they intended. If you are absolutely hungry before you leave for the party eat a piece of fruit or a serving of fresh veggies instead. This way you won’t feel you need to eat the entire buffet but you haven’t added too many calories before you even start.

Carry your conversation away from the buffet table. Staying within an arms reach of the food can often be tempting and before you know you have consumed half the fruitcake. By standing away from the table you won’t be tempted to mindlessly reach for food. Also, this gives you the opportunity to take a couple extra steps when the cookies catch your eye.

Use a smaller plate. This way, you can put less on your plate and when you feel the need to “clean your plate” you have automatically cut down on calories and fat. The key is to not overload the plate. If you have an urge for seconds, use a small plate again and try to keep space between your items.

Bring a dish to pass. This is your opportunity to guarantee at least one healthy dish is available. Be advised — you may want to make double the recipe. While many people may bring standard calorie loving dishes, when the healthy one arrives it is usually the first to go!!

Don’t forget your exercise!! Getting your walk out of the way first thing in the morning will put you on the right path to a healthy day. And if you really want that piece of homemade peanut butter fudge, you won’t have to feel guilty about it. Or, suggest a friendly snowball fight after dinner. Your turn to get the trophy from last year while burning away the calories from the cheesy potatoes!

During the holidays, I think we can all agree that it can become very difficult to get our workouts in. Between the family get-togethers, shopping, work, and other commitments, where do we find time to workout? Sometimes we need to go back to basics! This holiday, when you are ready to write off that workout, try throwing in some jumping jacks, crunches and maybe even jump roping! You might not work out as hard as when you commit to a longer workout, but you will have a much better chance of maintaining until you have the time to extend your workouts again. Jump roping, for example, is one of the most time effective ways to burn calories. Five minutes of jumping rope can equate to almost 20 minutes of walking on a treadmill if done with proper technique! So this year, don’t avoid the workouts, simply shorten them to something you can manage! I went to a demonstration with Buddy Lee, a former Olympian who is a professional jump rope instructor and was amazed by how much of a cardiovascular workout jumping rope and doing core training  in less than a quarter of an hour can be when combined correctly! For more tips, or to ask me any specific questions, feel free to email me at sebastian@formativefitness or check Formative Fitness out on Facebook where I am always open to your questions!

Everyone knows once Halloween has past the snow will soon start to fly, meaning the holidays are just around the corner. Holidays and family gatherings can often be stressful for some. Making sure everyone is having a good time and preparing for the festivities can be taxing. Why not try to de-stress and enjoy the holidays this year? The following tips will show you how to create the perfect party and relax!

If you are having the get together at your home and are preparing all the dishes yourself, it is a good idea to have everyone RSVP ahead of time. This will help save you time for preparing extra food and money in the long run. Often when we just go ahead and make extra of one thing, we’ll do so for the others dishes “just in case so and so shows up” but this is also how you end up with an enormous feast that not all your guests will eat after munching on pre-meal snacks. Save yourself the stress and don’t let the food go to waste this year!

If you are really watching how much you’re spending as well this year, why not ask everyone to bring one of their favorite dishes to pass. You can still do your part to provide the main dish, like the turkey, but by having others pitch in not all the expense goes solely to you, and this way everyone really feels included in the feast. It also may give everyone in the family something to talk about at the dinner table; each family member or friend could explain why the dish they brought is an important contribution to the holiday meal!

It may also be a good idea to provide some snack foods before hand for guests to nibble on. Buying bulk items like healthy nuts (such as almonds), pretzels, or even providing some whole wheat bread before dinner may serve well as a pre-meal snack. This is also a good way to break the ice, and allow relatives that possibly you haven’t seen in a while realize they can sit back and relax.

If you’re really looking for something different this year for the holidays why not change up the main meal. This obviously may not appeal to those who are into sticking to the more traditional items, but if others in the family are up for something new it may be just the ticket! Instead of preparing turkey, why not prepare ham, enchiladas, or make a platter of baked lemon chicken?

There are many ways in which we can learn how to relax for the holidays. The most important thing to remember is to just have fun and enjoy the time with those around you.

Many people struggle with ways to keep the weight off during the holidays, in fact, most of the weight we gain per year is put on between Thanksgiving and New Years! Today, we are going to focus on one part of the dilemma on how to keep the weight off during the holidays: Be active!

It is obvious that to keep the weight off during the holidays (or in any timeframe for that matter), we need to eat the right foods in the right portions. But one overlooked method for staying trim this year should include increasing your activity level. Many of us not only over indulge on eggnog, stuffing, and turkey, but we also under indulge in physical activity.

This year, before you sit down to a big meal on Thanksgiving, stand up for a nice long hike, or an early morning weight training workout. By being active before eating, some of the calories you consume will be used to replenish those that were burned off earlier. Also, if you still feel like you ate too much, rise up before everyone else the following day and do it again! I am not saying that by being active, you can indulge in anything you like this holiday, but you can at least justify a few treats. Because when it all comes down to it, it’s about moderation and creating a lifestyle!

If you have a hard time getting motivated this Thanksgiving, check out many local activities, such as the Turkey Trot. Also, I will be leading a fun walk from our studio, Formative Fitness on State Street, up to the old State Hospital, so that I too can enjoy a bit of stuffing, some good Thanksgiving day turkey and a (small) piece of  my favorite dessert with my family this year!

That’s probably the reaction from most people at this point. However, this is the time many people slack on their healthy eating habits due to lack of time and forethought. Fast food and high calorie/high fat handy foods are all too tempting this time of year. So before you get going with the shopping, take a minute to think about how you can snack a bit without adding to your waistline.

Plan ahead – make your own snack mix of dried fruit, nuts and M&Ms. Divide it up into mini sandwich bags and throw in your purse or glove box. You could also bring your own fresh fruits and veggies and just put them in a lunch box with a cold pack. While you’re at it, throw low fat string cheese in there as well!

If you don’t have the time – choose healthier items on the fast food and restaurant menus. Go for a grilled chicken sandwich sans cheese and mayo. Instead, add lettuce and tomato to it with a side of apple slices. Subway is a great way to get a serving of veggies in for the day. Try a 6″ turkey sub on whole wheat and go crazy with the veggie toppings. Add a bit of oil and vinegar and you are good to go!

When dining at a restaurant – watch out for words that indicate higher fat and calories. Fried, crispy, alfredo, cream, etc., are all words to limit. Go for the baked or broiled entrees with steamed vegetables and order all sauces and dressings on the side. That way, you have control over how much you put on.

And remember, always drink plenty of water. While shopping may not be exercise – it sure feels like it. Lugging around all those goodies can be a good work out, so make sure you stay hydrated.

Have fun this holiday shopping season!