How to Make Healthy Changes for Good

The more people I talk to, the more people I learn have health related New Year's resolutions - myself included - and I think those are some of the hardest to keep. Here, a few small changes to make so we can make that goal.

I have a tendency to stand over the sink when I eat. No cleaning off the counter and the crumbs just go down the drain. Turns out this is a bad idea. Apparently, we're more apt to "graze" when we're standing up. Sitting down makes eating its own "activity" and we focus more on what we're eating, rather than just stuffing food into our faces. It's also a good idea to keep track of what you're eating, according to one study from the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. It says that women had a better chance of shedding pounds when we look at exactly what we're eating and I guess you can't write down what you're eating while you're standing in front of the fridge.

Just like big carts at the supermarket trick you into buying more stuff, big dinner plates trick you into eating bigger portions. WebMd.com's Dr. Pamela Peeke says most dinner plates are 10 inches around. If portion control is a weakness of yours, try eating off a smaller plate. Dr. Peeke says that we should be eating off of 8 or 9 inch plates. Smaller plates make smaller portions look like more food so we trick our brains into thinking we're eating more than we are. Think "Watch your weight by watching your plate."

Stress is one weight loss inhibitor for me. When I was trying to lose weight before my wedding, I was getting stressed out and the nutritionist I was working with told me that stress increases the hormone cortisol which makes your body hang on to fat, so stress management is one way to help with weight loss and overall feelings of well being. Whether it's taking a yoga class, finding a quiet corner with no kids or phones, or just going on a short, brisk walk; managing stress can be a huge help.

Never underestimate the power of positive words. Being nice to those around you make you feel better and can put you in a better mood. So can being around positive people. If you're around negative people, it has a tendency to wear off on you. So, how do you know if you're around people who are dragging you down? Take stock of how you feel when you're around them. If you feel aggravated, drained or anxious, it may be time to start cutting people out. That goes for those on social media as well. I actually went through my friends and followers recently and dumped several people who never posted anything useful. Their posts and tweets were negative, attacking one group or another or just didn't make social media a fun experience for me, so they went by the wayside. I now surround myself in my real life and social media life that are funny, make me happy and make me feel good.