On a scale of 1 to 10, how indulgent were you during the holidays? For most of us, the endless parade of sweets and eats was almost as hard to resist as celeb gossip, and with everything that needed to get done, many workouts lost out to shopping.

Now’s the perfect time to make a fresh start. The following strategies will help make your resolution to lose weight and get healthier a reality.

• Have a diet game plan. Sure, it’s easy to say, “I’m going to go on a diet after the holidays,” but this alone won’t get you to a smaller waist size. Instead, figure out what foods (and drinks) you’re going to eat and not eat, and plan out your meals each week so you stay focused and away from the chip aisle at the grocery store. Knowing what you’ll be eating for each meal can help you curb your cravings and retrain your taste buds to crave healthful dishes.
• Put exercise on the calendar. Don’t just say you’re going to exercise more this year. Schedule it! This way, your daily 30-minute walk becomes a to-do that you can check off once you’re done. It will give you a sense of accomplishment, plus the energy and motivation you need to finish your other tasks.
• Get your ZZZs. In a provocative study, dieters who slept 8½ hours a night lost twice as much fat and held on to nearly twice as much muscle as those who scraped by on just 5½ hours. When you’re dieting, a good night’s sleep seems to persuade your body to burn fat. Getting enough sleep also keeps the hunger hormone ghrelin in check, so you’re less tempted to make a mad dash for the cookie jar.

source: http://www.realage.com/health-tips/how-to-lose-weight-in-2012