New Year’s Resolution Check Up
By Katie Jodscheidt, CPT, National Academy of Sports Medicine
(Brought to you by Innerzyme)
When January rolls around each year, people get excited about a fresh start, a clean slate to work with. After over-indulging in holiday meals and sweets, many reach the point of saying enough is enough by the end of December. Just in time to make their New Year’s Resolutions. Statistics show that about 45-62% of people make resolutions each year, with weight loss and getting into shape being top on the list. However, statistics also show that only about 8% of people are successful in achieving their resolutions. So why is that and how can you avoid becoming another statistic? The answer, make it a lifestyle, not a diet. Many people have no idea how good their body is designed to feel.
When a person shifts their mindset from diet to lifestyle, working out, eating right and proper nutritional supplementation becomes habit rather than a chore. Rather than waiting for a problem and reacting to it, more time should be spent focusing on preventative health. Diseases and illnesses do not develop overnight but instead over years. Many times, the early warning markers are present but ignored until it actually becomes a problem. Believe it or not, pain is actually the last indicator that there is a problem.
Living a healthy lifestyle means there is no end date, no shortcuts, no easy button. Want to know the real secret? Hard work and holding oneself accountable. “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing. That’s why we recommend it daily” (Zig Ziglar). When setting a goal or making a resolution for yourself, it is important to make sure the goal is realistic and attainable. Many people have heard the saying, “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” yet so many fall into the trap of yo-yo dieting.
To get results, a person must make healthy choices that fit into their lifestyle. Portion control and moderation are very important! If you are a big eater who is used to sitting down to three large, high calorie meals, and all of a sudden you make a decision to just eat a protein bar three times a day, hopefully you see the red flags that this won’t last. How about the lose 20 pounds in a week and eat what you want, also, red flags! Many people do not want to hear it but true weight loss and healthy living takes time, a lifetime. 
We live in a fast-paced world of instant gratification, a one pill fix, got to have it now mentality. This might be why the resolution success rate is only at 8%. While the resolution success rate is dropping, obesity rates are rising. Obesity is becoming an epidemic and health issues are on the rise. According to the article, "Obesity Linked to Increased Death Risks" by Sean Patterson, "Obesity has already been tied to a wide range of health problems, including cognitive decline.”
Proper weight management begins with your food intake and the body’s ability to properly break down the fats, carbohydrates and proteins into substrates the body could use for energy. Improving your overall health involves changing your lifestyle, not just diet. There are three key factors: Exercise, Food Intake (Diet), and Nutritional Supplementation.
Although getting the natural nutrients from raw food is ideal, many people do not consume a raw food diet so they lack the enzymes needed to ensure fats, carbohydrates and proteins are efficiently broken down and nutrients absorbed. This is where enzymes come into play. Supplementing your diet with digestive enzymes allows you to reduce the stress placed on the stomach from processed foods and meals high in fat, sodium and calories. Enzymes are a vital element in the human body. When taking digestive enzymes with a meal, your body has the ability to break down the food into small substrates that can be utilized for energy production throughout the day.
If you experience gas, bloating or occasional heartburn following meals then your body is not properly breaking down the foods you are eating. When foods are not broken down small enough to digest, they become toxic in the body. Implementing a well-balanced digestive enzyme complex before a meal will provide the support you need to naturally relieve these uncomfortable symptoms caused by undigested or partially digested foods.
According to the National Institute of Health, 60 to 70 million people in America suffer from some type of digestive disorder. People who suffer from poor digestive health are commonly linked to low energy, excessive gas, poor skin health, joint pain and discomfort, weight gain, weak immune system, headaches, heartburn and bloating following meals.
So what is the secret to success when it comes to your New Year’s Resolutions in 2013? Make it a Lifestyle, Not a Diet. Make a commitment to your health this year by focusing on regular exercise, well-balanced meals and nutritional supplementation.
If you’d like to see Innerzyme's Digestive and Systemic Enzyme supplements, click here.
Clark, Michael A., Lucett, Scott C., and Sutton, Brian G. NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training. 4th Edition, 2012. Print.
Howell, Edward, and Maynard Murray. Enzyme Nutrition: The Food Enzyme Concept.
National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Opportunities and Challenges in Digestive Diseases Research: Recommendations of the National Commission on Digestive Diseases. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health; 2009. NIH Publication 08–6514. http://www.nih.gov/
Wrba, H. & Pecher, O. Enzymes: A Drug of the Future. Ecomed Verlagsgesellschaft AG & Co., 1993. Print.
Neergaard, Lauran and Agiesta, Jennifer. "Poll: Few Americans Know All the Risks of Obesity" (January 7, 2013).
Patterson, Sean. "Obesity Linked to Increased Death Risks" (January 7, 2013).
University of Scranton, Journal of Clinical Psychology, December 13, 2012. http://www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/
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