Summer socializing

It's the time of year for BBQs, summer picnics, and a variety of other gatherings of family and friends. It's also the time of year when it's easy to overeat. If you attended a BBQ and ate one too many of Uncle Joe's greasy burgers, you're probably kicking yourself right now. My best remedy?

Hit the gym first thing the next morning. You'll feel better about yourself, you'll be burning off some of those extra calories, and you'll be jump-starting your metabolism for the new day. High intensity cardio is the most effective way to burn fat. Do it consistently, work hard while you're at the gym, and a few little indiscrepancies will be forgiven.

A 130 pound woman can burn over 400 calories in 40 minutes at a good clip on the elliptical. Gotta be in the shower by 6:30am to make it to the office on time? Most gyms now open at 5:00am and many cities offer 24-hr fitness clubs. There's no excuse. Set the clock an hour early and burn those greasy burger calories away. I know you can Get Your Body Back...

Your Reason Why...

It's so difficult to stick to a program when you don't have a strong reason why...

While I was in a Body Transformation Challenge, you couldn't tempt me with junk food, you know, those empty yummy calories. Imagine being faced with 2 choices; birthday cake, or $10,000? Or how about buffet Sushi or $10,000? Of course I didn't know if I was going to win the $10,000 if I didn't eat the extras, but I sure knew that I wasn't going to win it if I did eat the extras. So the choice was clear.

Now that I'm not gearing up for a contest, the choices are a little more grey. Who really cares if I lose a few more pounds? Will it really matter to me or anyone else, if I reduce my body fat percentage by another point? I look pretty good, I wear my clothes pretty well, I feel pretty healthy right now. Why worry?

Finding your reason why is one of the most important aspects of your program. For some, buying a new bathing suit is enough to get them onto better nutrition and fitness habits. For others, there has to be a stronger reason. How about signing up for the next 5 or 10K? That might get you motivated.

Whatever your reason, it has to be personal and valid to you, not to anyone else. Dig deep to find the thing that will motivate you to stick with your program. Commit to one more day of consistency. If you suffer a setback, you'll have that important reason why to return to.

Consistency

One of the most useful keys I can pass along is to develop a habit of consistence. It's human nature to like variety and excitement and, that being the case, people are often reluctant to eat the same things day after day and follow an excercise schedule. It seems so boring! You know what's exciting? It's not a different potato chip variety every day...it's having a beautiful body. The challenge is believing that you CAN have that beautiful body back, that you CAN be lean and smooth, that the fat CAN disappear. I've seen it happen. I literally watched my (chunky) legs disappear day by day. So, if you have to just follow along a little blindly for now, do it. Trust in the process. Our society is used to asking for quick, cheap and easy solutions, even though we know it doesn't really work that way. Work your program, stick to the basics, plod along - it's what your body needs to achieve the results you want. One day at a time...

Get Your Body Back

12 Weeks and Counting

Hi all, I started a new 90 day Challenge, so that I can chart my progress here for all to see and be inspired! Because I'm all that? No, because anything I can do, so can you! I know that losing weight can be tough - especially if you're trying to tough it out alone. So DON'T Do It Alone. Visit my blog daily, where the real world lives. You know, just when you've got a good system going, your car breaks down and you can't get to the gym on time. Or there's a birthday cake at the office, ready to de-rail your efforts at eating healthy, nutritious foods! Hey, you're not alone. This works best as a TEAM effort, remember the acronym, Together Everyone Achieves More. Let's do this thing together! You'll see how much easier that is and how much better your results will be! I'm a real person, struggling with the same challenges that you are in daily life. My claim to fame? Not much, just that I Did It, and I can show you how too. To see my before and after pics online, go to www.bodywise.com. Also, check out my weight loss website at www.herwisebody.com. And let's get this party started...