Working hard and feeling good!

Well, the New Year is off to a fast start. Our first print ad went in the Gwinnett Daily Post on Sunday and we've already had 3 calls. The digital billboard goes up tomorrow at Hwy 20 and I-985. I'm sure all of my friends will give me a hard time about that, but that's okay.

I don't know about you, but one of the difficult things about eating healthy is getting in my veggies. My wife, Mary Ellis, encouraged me to add a side salad every chance I get. I'm also trying to add a diced medley of tomatoes and pepper to my omelet every morning and to my favorite chicken on wheat tortilla wrap.

I'm sure many of you are struggling to maintain the program you resolved to start for a healthier New Year. Don't give up! Go slow and become consistent in one area, then add another and conquer that. Remember, this is a change for a healthier life. If you haven't found a partner, look around; maybe the person in the cubicle next to you is having the same struggle, or your neighbor, or the person who sits right behind you in Sunday school. Set reasonable goals and check them off as you reach them.

In my practice, the patients who are having success with weight loss are consistently logging their food. This helps them know what they eat, how much they eat, when they eat, when they don't eat, and where they struggle. They can review their daily log, and make appropriate adjustments. For the businessman who eats out every day at lunch, he may need to review menus and choose healthy entrees, BEFORE he arrives at the restaurant. Teachers need snacks that can be portioned out in sandwich bags and placed in a desk drawer, BEFORE they get the munchies. Ultimately, to be successful, it's not necessarily about eating less, it's about eating the right amount, The only way to know this is by having your resting metabolic rate determined in an 8-12 minute test.

At this time of year, membership at local gyms peaks out. At no other time do people wait so long for a grueling session on the treadmill or elliptical. When it comes to lifting weights, the misconception is.....the "heavier" the better. After about a week of this, the novice is frustrated, may be recovering from an injury, and often wonders why they feel this wave of nausea as they leave the gym. Let me state this as clearly as I can, it's not about exercising harder, it's about exercising smarter. The best way to know how to maximize your exercise program, whether on the treadmill, or in the weight room, is to have an exercising metabolic test. For more information on metabolic testing, check out my website, www.bufordcompletehealth.com.