A majority of us take pride in setting resolutions every year when as the clock strikes and we journey to an entirely new year full of anticipations and excitements. Whether it is about achieving a professional goal with full fervour or a desire to acquiring that hourglass figure that can give celebrities a run for their money, we all have secret resolutions and ambitions to keep us going on.

Much as we would dislike revealing, 70 per cent of these resolutions especially the ones that relate to food and diet go haywire as the year progresses and we lose the spirit to stick to it. If you echo a similar sentiment and have been making unsuccessful attempts at a weight loss program every passing year, you certainly know the feeling. A bunch of us try hard to stick to the fancy diet claim but as the daily grind overpowers us, digression from the goal comes easy. Nevertheless, we do have some tips to help you tread on the path chosen, for all those who fancy a flab free body

• The key to achieving the goal lies in aiming for targets that are well in your reach. Un realistic goals often seem harsh on the body after a while; hence set for realistic weight loss targets.

• Buddy up with a friend or a family member who is keen to a similar course of action. This will keep the challenge going and the fact that you have a companion to accompany your endeavours will make it interesting.

• No matter which dietary pattern you follow, include loads of water in it. Consuming water will not only keep an active bowel movement but will also keep you filled and hence reduce the intake of unnecessary calories.

• Chalk out engaging plans for example, set a colour for each day of the week and indulge in fruits and vegetables of the same colour, for instance, if it’s red on Mondays, gorge on tomatoes and indulge in apple salad or even an apple based dessert.

• Maintain a diet chart to gauge your progress every 7 days or so, also keep a day free from the diet so you can indulge every once in a while, remember a stringent diet routine that includes no delicacies will only force you to break free.

Following and maintaining a schedule to cut down on those unwanted pounds has never been easy, but with some innovative thinking and an out of the box eating pattern, you sure won’t have to ditch that resolution you made.

Ever wondered how the pop star Shakira and Beyoncé’s gyrating body leaves you astonished. Besides the par excellence moves, they flaunt those envious abs that can give a run for their money to any fitness freak.

If experts are to be believed, the secret to their fabulous abs is an all pervasive workout. Instead of just concentrating on one angle of the stomach, and repeating crunches throughout, a healthy abs workout needs to have a strenuous combination of different midriff exercises that emphasis on flab reduction and muscle building from all angles.

In addition to the regular crunches, one can also make use of a plank to workout. Hold yourself for 30-60 seconds in a raised push up position, ensuring the body falls in a straight line. Indulge in squat jumps by standing with your feet apart and then sitting down and standing back up again. This puts pressure on abs as they help you stand up.

These simple exercises can be practised for 30 minutes a day, gradually increasing the frequency and duration. In an attempt to exercise do not forget that workout will support the system only with a well-balanced and proportionate diet, hence seek out a diet chart and reap the benefits.

Many a times, we come across diet food items that proclaim weight loss and give a ray of hope to all those seeking to shed some pounds, however in an urge to quickly get rid of the bulges, people often misunderstand and fail to realise that every food item or every eating habit may not work the same way for each one of us.

Every body type and structure is unique in its own right hence one’s bliss can be other’s poison. To avoid making such mistakes, it is imperative for us to understand some basic facts about diet and food items that suggestively promote weight loss

• Myth 1
Eating Cornflakes for a healthy breakfast
Cornflakes are actually processed cereal and hence it contains a great deal of carbohydrates and sugar that can adversely affect your diet. Instead choose cereals like muesli and oatmeal

• Myth 2
Fruit and vegetable juices for dieters
However juices from fresh fruits are great to taste and filling as well, yet the process of churning to fruits reduces the nutritional value and the residue (juice) is high in sweet content .Hence it is best to opt for the whole fruit or vegetable.

• Myth 3
Yoghurt accelerates weight loss
Certainly the bacteria present in curd and yoghurt aid metabolism leading to quick weight loss, however the processed versions of yoghurt with fruit pieces and flavours are extremely high on sugar and fat. If curd still lures you, stick to plain yoghurt or add raw fruits or veggies to make the combination interesting.

• Myth 4
Consuming grapefruit or cabbage soup before meals
Although these items are extremely low on calories and fill your stomach to a great extent leaving a meagre appetite, yet nutritionists claim that due to the low calorie content, these food items often lead to weakness and dizziness as the body starts depleting in nutrients.

• Myth 5
Protein based diets reduces hunger
Much unlike the popular belief, consumption of protein rich foods leads to production of ketone bad bodies which not only use fat as a source of energy and even lead to a foul breath. Weight loss occurred by such a diet is primarily a loss of water content which can cause dehydration if persistent.

Seek help from a nutritionist or a dietician before plunging into the plethora of diet routines as a single wrong step can lead to incessant damages to your body.

The world of fitness is swamped with zillion diet programs that claim to help dieters acquire a perfect 10 in a span of just few weeks; however the results are often short-lived and perennial. The incessant hours at gym and hours of starvation only leave one weaker a
nd paler. However the new 100 calorie diet that has been making news for quite some time now appears to be a solution to our dieting woes.

Unlike the conventional diet plans that restrict indulgence and force one to survive on fruits and veggies, this one comes with an interesting twist. The 100 calorie diet plan devised by the sisters, Tammy and Susie Tremble allows gorging on those sumptuous chocolate pies and irresistible risottos and yet get rid of the unwanted pounds. It revolves around the calorie intake at any given time of the day. Whether its breakfast, lunch, dinner or mid-day snacking, the diet plans suggests measuring the calories of each meal and only consuming up to 100 calories at a time.

For female dieters, a total calorie intake of 15oo calories and for males, an intake of 2000 calories per day is advised. The diet plan also includes different food combinations to make it interesting and emphasizes on maintaining a calorie intake journal that can track the quantity consumed each day. It also advises all diet followers to indulge in some form of physical exercise for at least 20 minutes a day this could include aerobics, a run or a mix of cardio exercises. One also needs to make sure that the body is kept hydrated all the times, by consuming at least 8 to 10 glasses of water in a day.
This fancy diet plan on one hand satiates your cravings by permitting intake of sweets and even alcohol, but on the other hand it requires a dedicated approach and even daily planning for a diet plan to be able to accomplish your targets.