QuickMedical Questions: How Do I Accomplish My New Year's Resolution?

Often customers or casual web surfers will send us questions, via Facebook, Twitter, or email about medical equipment and supplies. Since we're not doctors, we can't offer you specific health advice. If you're really concerned, you should always consult a health professional. But, we're here to help, so without further ado, here's another QuickMedical Question, with an answer, from an emailer who writes:

I have a new year's resolution to try and lose some of the extra pounds I put on over the years. My goal is to live a long and healthy life. I definitely need a new bathroom scale - is there one of QuickMedical's bathroom scales you recommend? What other products would be beneficial to help me attain my new year's resolutions?

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Keeping New Year's resolutions is tough. Losing weight and keeping it off can be tougher. Our first recommendation is regular exercise, but before you start an exercise program please consult with a physician. Make sure you are eating lots of nutritious food. If you want to make any major changes to your diet, make sure you talk to a physician or nutritionist first. We'll take your word that you have a few extra pounds that you need to lose, but sometimes body image is more of a problem than your actual weight. Above all, consult with a health professional before making any lifestyle changes.

Weight is just a number, and muscle weighs more than fat. So don't get stuck checking the scale everyday. Stay active and incorporate exercise into your daily life. Get an exercise mat and do some simple exercises at home, if you can't join a health club. Make sure you're doing both aerobic and strength training exercises. Playing a sport you find enjoyable, or just doing a non-competitive, physical activity can be a great way to keep your lifestyle active. You can keep track of your fitness progress in a Personal Health Pocket Reference Journal.

Tracking your weight might be recommended by your physician. If so, get a high quality bathroom scale like the Health-O-Meter 800KLS Digital Floor Scale or a Seca 817 Glass Platform Scale which support weights up to 390 pounds.

If your doctor recommends you track your body fat as well, the Taylor 5599 Glass Body Fat Scale (pictured left) will help you track your weight and also measure your body fat, muscle and bone mineral mass using BIA technology.

Giving yourself goals and tracking your progress will help you stick to your New Year's resolutions. Having a plan, a realistic goal, and a way to put your plan into action are the most important parts of making your New Year's resolutions become realized.

You've already taken the first step-- wanting to make a change. Sometimes that's the hardest part.