Avoid being a victim of the 'fitness cliff'

Tips for following through on your weight loss goals

SAN ANTONIO – At the beginning of every year, the gym is packed with people looking to get healthy and lose weight, but after several weeks, those numbers taper off.

A recent study by Gold's Gym calls this time of year the "fitness cliff" week.

Lauren Flores, fitness service manager at Gold's Gym, said that many people stop working out because they are not seeing the results they expected.

But she said there are ways to stay motivated.

"Keep you eye on the prize, write down your goals and track your progress," Flores said.

Seeing changes in your weight won't happen overnight.

A healthy weight loss is considered to be one pound or a pound and a half a week.

Even if you are exercising several days out of the week, the most important part is your diet.

"Seventy to 80 percent of the bargain is your nutrition," Flores said. "If you are not eating right or not even possibly eating enough, the results will not be there."

By sticking with your workouts past the "fitness cliff" and eating right, the pounds will start to come off.

"Once you start seeing those results, it eventually becomes addicting," Flores said.


About the Author:

Erica Hernandez is an Emmy award-winning journalist with 15 years of experience in the broadcast news business. Erica has covered a wide array of stories all over Central and South Texas. She's currently the court reporter and cohost of the podcast Texas Crime Stories.