As we approach the holidays, some of you may already be thinking about your health and fitness goals for the new year.  I’m here to encourage you that by making a few changes, starting now, you can be on your way to having big results!

I have found that I get quicker and more lasting results with weight loss when I do these two things together – increase my exercise and decrease my calories.  Can you lose weight by only reducing calories?  Yes, but by adding or increasing your exercise, the muscle that is gained will help burn more calories, and you will lose weight faster.

Consider this:  just by adding a fast 15-20 minute walk (approximately 1 mile) to your routine, you can burn 100 extra calories per day. Do this, and nothing more every day for a year, and you will lose 10 pounds, assuming your food intake just stays the same.

Now if you also eliminate 100 calories from your diet each day (perhaps a soft drink, cream in your coffee or sweet treat), you could knock off another 10 more pounds that year. These two easy adjustments could make you 20 pounds lighter in one year, and if you choose to do add more exercise and reduce more calories each day, you will lose much more than that!

Remember, for lasting weight loss it is best to decrease calories and increase exercise.  By doing these two things, you can be on your way to reaching your health and fitness goals!