Life is too short NOT to be healthy!!!

Exercise is hard work!  Lots of things are hard work!  Exercise though is imperative to good health and longevity!  The bright side... exercise can be fun!  You just need to find the exercise that you enjoy!
Anything that moves your body, offers some resistance, raises your heart rate... work a little harder and longer at it and you can register it as a workout! Gardening, mowing, dancing, even dog walks!  Calorie burning is calorie burning!  Some people do fancy workouts at the gym, some use DVDs, some play their Wii... you just need to find something, or a combo of things that work for you and DO IT!!!!

The other important detail is calories!  Life is too short NOT to enjoy that cupcake and that glass of wine... yes and no!  Totally depriving yourself can be a pathway to disaster and uncontrollable splurging!  BUT moderation, limiting and setting yourself up for success is vital to making any forward progress!  If you don't say no to the occasional treat or the daily glass of wine at times, chances are you are never going to burn more calories than you take in and you won't see any changes on that scale!  I bet you don't even know how many calories you eat on a daily basis!  and I bet it is more than you would guess!!!

My favorite tools for losing a few pounds:

• Get an accountability buddy!  If you have someone, or a group of people, who you workout with, talk about your workouts with or just keep up with on FB, you are setting yourself up for success!  You are less likely to give up if you have a friend rooting for you or even better... depending on you :)
• Food journaling.  If you write down every bite you put into your mouth, you are going to rethink that little candy bar from the Halloween bucket and that half of a PB&J sandwich your kid didn't finish!  Just the idea of writing it down can be a diet assistant ;)
• Set yourself up for success! If there is a food that you just cannot pass up... don't go near it!  Do NOT buy it for your kids and plan to not have any... we all have our weak moments so why risk the temptation. Surely your kids like some things that you aren't crazy about... so get those instead!
• Eat breakfast!  Studies show that people who eat a healthy meal early in the day set themselves up for success.  You are less likely to grab something unhealthy on the run or at the coffee shop and you will have more energy!
• Schedule your workouts so they are non negotiable!  Just like a doctor or dentist appointment!!!  Also, if you plan them for first thing in the morning you are less likely to get too busy!!!
• Find workouts that you enjoy!  If you like to Dance, try Hip Hop Abs, Turbo Jam or TurboFire; if you are hard core you will LOVE Insanity; if you want to get ripped, how about P90X or P90X2; limited for time, try 10 Minute Trainer; if you are just starting out and want to work your way in, try Slim in 6, Power 90, ChaLEAN Extreme plus many more!

I have a Fitness Challenge under way with workouts, Shakeology and meal planning.  I also have an accountability group so you can benefit from the momentum of others and share your own story!  I would love to help you reach your fitness goals... you just need to take the first step and decide to go for it!!!

Learn more about the Challenge here: