Bing Predicts Weight Loss Will Be Top 2011 New Year's Resolution

Every year, one of the most popular New Year’s Resolution is to lose weight, and a popular search engine suspects that 2011 will be no different. Based on the popularity of internet search terms, Bing.com suspects that on New Year’s Day, thousands – if not millions – will commit once again to eating better and exercising more in an effort to shed the excess pounds.

In January 2010, terms related to weight loss such as “calories”, “calorie counters”, and “Body Mass Index (BMI)” were searched twice as often as they were in November and December of the previous year.

Commercial diet programs were also popular searches. Weight Watchers, for example, was searched almost four times as often in January as it was during the holiday months. “Nutrisystem”, “South Beach Diet”, and “Atkins Diet” were also common search terms.

Fewer people were looking specifically for exercise, but searches did increase for gyms, home weight loss equipment such as treadmills or Bowflex, and fitness in general. The good news is that many gyms offer specials in January, such as no joining fees, which can contribute to the motivation to “Just Do It.”

Research shows that making resolutions or setting specific heath goals is useful. People who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don’t. Unfortunately, however, there is a large rate of drop-out. After one month, only 64% have continued to follow the resolutions they have set.

If weight loss is part of your plan to kick off a healthy New Year, eMaxHealth has some tools to help you in your quest.

Fad Diets No Panacea for Weight Loss
Many popular diets are based on severe food restrictions, such as completely eliminating carbohydrates from the diet. These diets ultimately fail because they do not teach appropriate healthy eating techniques for long-term weight maintenance.

Experts Anticipate Focus on Small Lifestyle Changes in 2011 to Fight Obesity
Instead of trying to overhaul your entire diet at once, Beth Hubrich RD, executive director of the Calorie Control Council suggest making small, but important, lifestyle changes that focus on healthy eating. She says that reducing portions, controlling calories, increasing physical activity, and including more fruits and vegetables can help prevent weight gain without feelings of deprivation.

Remember that even moderate weight loss can improve health risk factors such as heart function.

Weight Watchers Launches New PointsPlus System
If you believe that a commercial diet program is right for you, Weight Watchers remains the most popular because of its successful results. This year the company launched its new PointsPlus system, a new formula for calculating a foods nutritional value in relation to calories.

Online programs such as eDiets and Beachbody.com have also had successful outcomes, as they focus as well on a combination of diet and exercise.

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