Happy New Year's Eve!

Happy New Year's Eve, my friends! Can you believe how quickly time has flown? I know I can't! What are some of your New Year's Resolutions? I have plenty, and you probably do, too! One of my goals for this coming year is to lose more inches. In 2013, I also want to be a better writer, a better musician and composer, and to accomplish more. I want to become financially independent. I know all of these things will take a lot of work, and I'm willing to put in the time and effort needed.

What is a resolution, anyway? It is simply deciding to do something, to be resolved, determined, to accomplish that thing, whatever it is. We may make a resolution to spend more time with our families, and that's a good one! Time is precious, and we never get it back once it's gone.

Many of us resolve to make more money. As you've seen, that's one of my resolutions this year. A lot of us make a resolution to go on a diet and lose weight. If I had a hundred dollars for every time I've made the Diet Resolution, I could buy a really nice computer. Or maybe put a down payment on a car!

I think I've tried just about every diet ever designed by man (or woman). I know I've read enough diet books to stock a small library. I even bought some of them. From high protein diets to complex carbohydrate diets, counting calories, counting carbs, counting fat grams, balancing grams of fat with protein and carbohydrates, adding healthy monounsaturated fats... If it was a book with Diet in the title, I've probably at least read it. And, if I could afford all the ingredients, tried it!

Don't get me wrong. Some of the diets I tried were dangerous, and I'm thankful I survived them. Many, however, are good and have useful information, some of which I've carried over into my everyday eating habits. Take the healthy monounsaturated fats, for example. Who knew that eating olives could be good for you?  Or dark chocolate? Or walnuts, almonds, and peanuts (assuming you aren't allergic)?

There are a lot of diets out there: fads, books, additives to sprinkle on your favorite foods to make you full faster, and all kinds of juicers, blenders, food processors and other things to make your diet faster, better, more effective.

If you are considering making that resolution (again), only to know you'll fail, maybe you're trying the wrong things to lose weight.The sad truth is, most diets fail because they aren't intended to last a lifetime. You're supposed to adjust your eating habits, and, hopefully, eat in a more healthful manner. Realistically, most people aren't willing to do that.  You go back to eating the way you did before. And--big surprise--you can't believe it when the weight comes back!

"In order to make change happen, you have to change."* Good nutrition is the best way to lose weight. Without good nutrition, you may lose some pounds, but you'll probably also lose muscle, which is the very last thing you should do! Muscle has been proven to increase metabolism, which means, if you're losing muscle tissue, you actually are losing the ability to lose weight! Scary!

My own diet resolutions never worked. Not because I didn't try hard to make them work, but because once I'd lost however many pounds were my goal, I'd stop dieting. That's the problem with diets. We think of them as short-term solutions to a long-term problem. At least, I did.

Before discovering Herbalife, I tried losing weight because of my doctor's concerns about my triglyceride levels this year. They were dangerously high. I cut back on things, tried portion control, tried counting calories, and  I did lose some weight. Then I plateaued, and nothing I tried would make the scale budge, until I found Herbalife.

I've done amazingly well in the weight-loss department this past few months. I can't believe how much more energy I feel, and how much more I can accomplish. I'm really pleased. Thanks to Herbalife, I've lost 24 lbs in the three months between doctor visits. Everyone in the office was thrilled for me!

Of all the things we need, good health should always be near the top of the list. One obvious reason: how can you enjoy anything if you don't feel well? Better health means more contentment, more enjoyment, more energy to do the things you love to do.


So, is getting to a healthy weight (lower or higher) on your New Year's Resolution list this year? If so, please visit HERE.

I'm also resolving this year to build a Team of people to join me in helping themselves and others get healthy. If you are seriously interested in becoming part of my Team, please e-mail your contact information (including best telephone number) to marionlaird@gmail.com. Together, we can change people's health for the better!

* Jim Rohn