Do What Works for You, Just don't Quit

All diets are not created equal . . . that’s really the bottom line. There is only one method I know that works for everyone, eat good food and exercise but for a lot of us, that’s easier said than done. How much exercise is necessary? A 30 minute walk everyday is enough for some, for others, it takes hard core cardio and strength training to drop the pounds or maybe you need to train to run a marathon in order to push pass the weight your body is holding on to. And food, some need high protein diets, others need a healthy balance, some need to just leave all meat alone and go hard core vegan.

Now, I have been challenged - or rather I opened my big mouth and gave a number – anyway, I have a challenge of 20lbs or so to lose. Actually, peeps, The Collective. Let’s see how far I get by the end of the year but hell, as long as I can fit into my favorite red dress without wearing SPANX, I’m happy.

I have heard a lot of advice on how to make it happen. Do Weight Watchers (nope, but I’ve seen the results work well for others), Go Running (this actually works but I HATE RUNNING), Try an all liquid diet or all raw food diet (this is a great jump start actually, check out one of my friends doing it - Under200poundsby40). Do a Cleanse (I have NO problem with the exiting process), and cut this-cut that, so I have decided I’m going to do what I know works.

This morning, at 5 am, I put in a new Zumba® Instructors video (shout out to all my ZIN family) and got it in.

Thirty minutes later, I was in the shower and feeling good. I actually feel thinner already, no really, I do. I put on a skirt and tucked the blouse in . . . I look HAWT! #Pixiedustpotent. I’m also using the principles of the Flat Belly Diet promoted by Prevention Magazine. This diet actually promotes eating well and concentrates on eating Monounsaturated Fats which are good for you and keeping each meal to 400 calories. It even includes what you can eat from a fast food menu and make that belly go away. Why I like this diet? This one helps me keep my energy up all day long instead of having those crash and burn sessions. I’m eating on schedule and eating enough to keep me going until the next meal. But this is my mental challenge: When people start heating their food before its time for my next meal, my brain goes, “Mmm, smell that? You could be eating too. Oh, go ahead and eat now.” But I’m not finished burning the fuel I have, I have another hour to wait; besides I’m not hungry, am I? Discipline yourself girl! Take a sip of water, that will tell you if its time . . . nope, not yet. I can hold out.

Its funny that when I tell my friends and family that I’m attempting 20+ more pounds, they look at me and ask, “Where you gonna find 20 more pounds from?” I have one place in mind but that would require surgery and uhm, I ain’t got the money for that . . . besides, I kind of like the “girls.” In additiona to my early morning Zumba ® sessions, and teaching class 3 days a week, I’ve put strength training on a schedule too – Mondays and Wednesdays. The third day is sort of a floating holiday because things always come up with my crazy schedule. I thought I didn’t have time and I was really considering letting the challenge go. I then realized that I could be the encouragement someone else needs to get up and get moving (and I look PHAT TA DEF in that red dress). Is that what you need? Be honest. You need someone to dig in that tail and say get up!! Okay, GET UP! If you’re sitting on Facebook, just take a 15 minute break and go walk around the office. Go ahead, Facebook will wait for you; so will YouTube and Twitter, go ‘head. My challenge to you is to make a determination right now what you’re going to do about your body, your weight, your heart, your blood pressure, your sugar, your cholesterol. Write it down, make a plan and make a schedule. Then put the goal in big letters and say, “Whatever it takes, I will not QUIT.”