Are you reading this because you have made that New Year's commitment to improve your health and increase the quality of your life? Then keep reading...

Are you reading this because you have resolved that in 2012 you will be the skinniest you've ever been in your life? Then keep movin'...that ain't what this studio is about!

Oh boy, here we go! It is January and most likely, with nothing but the best of intentions, you have piled more joyless eating restrictions and exercise requirements on yourself than any human should endure. Just stop it! It does not have to be that way. At the bottom of the page you will find an article for "Reasonable Resolutions"--read it and be reasonable yourself and your plan of attack. Try to resist short-cuts to weight loss. Studies have proven time and time again that fad diets have practically no success rate in keeping weight off. The right way, learning to make healthier choices, takes longer but the results are permanent.

I applaud your commitment to improve your health! And I know, first-hand, that it is EASIER SAID THAN DONE! During the first few months of the New Year every form of media will bombard you with every weight-loss gimmick and fad diet known to humankind. Every self-proclaimed genius will have unearthed that mysterious herbal miracle that will turn on the body's ability to burn fat while we sleep. Celebrity trainers, that in actuality are just actors playing a part, will sell us fitness routine DVDs, declaring their devotion to help us reach our fitness goals when in all reality they are simply cashing in on a proven market. It is hard to tell who is really on your side.

Take the time to do some research into really good, supportive Fitness organizations. There are lot of great local fitness studios that are truly interested in YOU! Maybe you are really into group fitness classes and the FitnessWitness studio would work for you. Maybe you need more options that include activities for the whole family like programs at the YMCA or you need a place that is open at unusual times. Most studios/gyms have free trial periods that allow you to check the place out and see if it is a good fit for you. Utilize those free trial options! DO not, in a pinch for time, sign gym contracts without taking them home to read the fine print. If a gym insists that you sign before leaving the premises in order to get that fantastic low rate of $19.95/month--then walk away. Once you sign that contract, you are locked in for 1-3 years and Lord knows what fees you may have granted them permission to draft out of your bank account--it is just business to them. And many of these low-priced programs, once they have you legally & financially obligated, are banking on the fact that you quit working out. That way they can run more mice through the mouse trap. 

If you like to work out on your own at home, there are many online organizations that are truly fitness & health oriented--I have a few listed in my "favorite links" page. It may take some time and some digging but you can find online programs that can help you develop a workout routine as well as chart your progress and your eating patterns. Try not to purchase workout DVDs based on what celebrity was paid enough to pose for the cover. There are sites that will let you watch clips of videos to help you determine which is a good match for you. If you decide to do all of the above with the aid of a personal trainer, check that trainers credentials. Do an internet search of those credentials to see if they are from a reputable or a fly-by-night organization. And ask to see those credentials to verify that they are current. Anybody with $99 and 4 hours can become certified as a personal trainer--SO BE CAREFUL. There is a lot of training nonsense out there.

There are businesses and organizations, local and online, that are truly "fitness oriented & health promoting" and then there are self-promoters that sell "fitness" simply as a means to separate people from their hard earned money. One side is focused on you and your goals--the other is focused on your bank account. Be wise as a serpent, harmless as a dove...good words to live by.

Just remember, if it sounds too good to be true, most likely it isn't. There is no magic pill. There is no magic exercise device that does "all the work for you"--no matter HOW HARD YOU SHAKE IT! You do not need to spend perfectly good money to stock your pantry with "meal-replacement" drinks; learning to make healthy eating choices will serve you better in the long run. Yes, the latter requires more thought & planning but will benefit you permanently. Businesses that feature energy drinks, prepackaged meals, energy bars, cookies that are supposed to "fill you up", etc. are banking on the fact the most people want to go the mindless, quick route to weight loss: "just tell me what to ingest and don't make me think or learn anything". What is being sold here is "convenience" NOT better health. You may be offered a 100% MONEY BACK guarantee if you are not happy with your purchase, but these companies are also banking on the fact that busy people will not return the item--especially if it requires a trip to the Post Office

These types of food items should never be the main-stay of your daily eating patterns. However, they CAN have a small place in your life--for instance, pre-packaged meals can be a interim solution while you are LEARNING to cook healthier meals. Also keep some quality energy bars in the console of your car. Sometimes when we are out and about, we get hungry and grabbing a "Luna" bar from the glove compartment will hold you until you can get home to healthy food. Not to mention, think of the gas you will save by not sitting at the drive-thru waiting for that Big Mac "Snack" wrap that has more fat than the actual sandwich. 

Improving your health, losing some pounds, creating more energy, bettering the quality of your life will take time, determination and probably a few dollars. Use all of those assets wisely...use them to truly better yourself and not to line someone else’s pockets. 

The following is a copy of an article I wrote for "Shaping Savannah" January 2010, but it rings true for any New Year. You may need your reading glasses...this was the biggest print I could upload to this website. 

Now let's go out there and make it a darn fine fit & fabulous year!

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