It has been one month since the New Year began and most of us have been doing what we can to stay motivated and keep up with the workout routine.  The idea behind most New Year’s resolutions is to lose weight, gain some muscle and look great once the warm weather gets here. Healthy weight loss is between one to two pounds per week. To lose one pound you need to burn off or cut out 3,500 calories. To lose one pound in seven days you need to reduce your net calories by 500 every day. The easiest way to do that is a 250 split: Cut half from your diet and burn the other half through exercise.

    Try some of these diet ideas to reduce 250 calories from your daily intake while still maintaining a healthy diet.


- Replace your morning bagel and cream cheese with an English muffin and cottage cheese.

- Skip the large bakery muffin in favor of 1 slice of whole wheat toast topped with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter.

-Swap your large bran muffin for 3/4 cup of bran flakes.

-Replace eggs and cheese with scrambled egg whites.

- Replace your 450-calorie lunch with a 200-calorie protein shake.

-Replace large french fries with a yogurt-and-fruit parfait.

-Modify your lunch: Skip the cheese on your salad or sandwich, substitute mustard for mayo, and replace potato chips with soy chips.

- Have half a tuna salad sandwich instead of a whole, plus two cups of raw vegetables.

- Skip the cheese in an omelet and a lunchtime sandwich.

-Switch from cream soup to vegetable-based soup at lunch and dinner.

-Switch from one cup premium to light ice cream.

-Skip your afternoon frozen yogurt with ground nuts.

-Resist the handful of M&M's at the receptionist's desk.

-Cut out 1 biscotti and 1 large mocha.

-Switch from a chai tea latte to lemon tea.

-Have 1 ounce of soy nuts instead of 3 ounces of roasted almonds.

-Substitute a serving of beef with shrimp or a white flaky fish like cod at two meals.

-Have cauliflower instead of a baked potato with sour cream.

-Replace ranch or blue cheese dressing with low-fat vinaigrette at lunch and dinner.

-Have a vodka and soda instead of a margarita at happy hour.

    The other half of losing weight is burning off extra calories. Try some of these activities to burn an extra 250 calories.

-Jog at a 10-minute-mile pace for 20 minutes.

-Alternate running and walking for 20 minutes.

-Walk briskly for 30 minutes.

-Spin for 30 minutes at a moderate pace.

-Go for a 20-minute trail run or walk

-Do 1 hour of housework.

-Walk 1 mile in the morning and 1 mile in the evening.

-Take a yoga class

-Do a Pilates workout tape

-Practice tai chi for 45 minutes.

-Perfect your swing at the driving range for 60 minutes.

-Try a new dance class at your local health club

-Hit a punching bag for 30 minutes.

-Go in-line skating for 15 minutes.

-Ice-skate vigorously for 30 minutes.

-Run up stairs for 15 minutes.

-Jump rope for 20 minutes.

-Do 25 minutes of circuit training.

-Dance  for 40 minutes.

-Play Frisbee for 1 hour.

-Wash windows for 1 hour.

-Use a pedometer and log an extra 3,600 steps.

    Exercising and eating right will lead to a healthier lifestyle. Don’t think that everything has to change at once and that there is some kind of miracle diet and exercise plan. By changing one thing at a time from your diet and exercise routine you will be successful at achieving your fitness goals. If you feel like you are not reaching your goals or you are lacking a bit of motivation enlist the help of a personal trainer. Most gyms have personal training available for an extra fee and a certified trainer will be able to help you come up with a fitness and nutrition plan that is realistic and fits your lifestyle.

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