Who Says You Can't?

Let's face it: it is not easy to get in shape or lose weight! I know. I was overweight for years before I finally got moving. I went through a series of ups and downs, looking for an easy way out of my weighty woes. I tried tips, recipes, workouts and more. Although there isn't a miracle out there that will take you from flab to fab in 24 hours, it doesn't have to be so hard either. Here I'll share some things I have learned in my journey to success.

Baby Steps...

1. Realize that you are going to have to get moving!

2. Realize that you can't eat EVERYTHING that you want and not pay!

3. Realize that the taste of success is the best taste there is!

Simple but Small...

1. Ask friends for advice. Your friends can be a great source of information on fun workouts, tips and more. In fact, finding a friend to buddy up with is a tested tip that works!

2. Challenge and compete. Find someone, even someone online, to compete with. Who can get the best results the fastest?

3. Find your style. Kickboxing isn't for everyone. Yoga isn't either. There are so many workouts available, and there is one out there for you. Read some workout reviews, ask around and try a few. Ebay is a great resource for workouts. Buy one you are interested in, and if you don't like it, you can always sell it! Just be adventurous. You might surprise yourself.

4. Add spice with equipment. I love the stability ball and my weights. I hated my exercise band. What works for one doesn't work for all, but sometimes simple equipment can be the key to sticking with a workout. The advantage of equipment is that you can use them anytime, even while watching tv.

5. Music! Sounds very simple because it is. Put on some music and start cleaning the house, washing the car or just dance in your living room. Yes, I dance in my living room! You don't have to pop in a tape of DVD to burn some calories.

6. Do a little here and a little there. I do plies while brushing my teeth and side lunges when I wash the dishes. I stretch while watching tv. I walk around during commercials. All of these little things can add up to big results and healthier habits.

7. Make a workout book. I found that I had heaping piles of fitness magazines with a wide variety of workouts and exercises. I needed to clean up, but I wanted to keep the good stuff. So I bought a simple 3-ring binder, cut out the exercises that I really liked and placed them in the binder. I can easily create my own unique workout with any combination of my collected exercises quickly!

8. Rewards! I love shoes, and I reward myself every few months with a new pair of running shoes or cross-trainers. This was a pretty expensive reward until I began to shop Ebay. Now this is a much easier way to reward!

9. Be a kid again. I felt silly at first, but I have rediscovered the joys of jumping on a trampoline and shooting hoops in the driveway. And what about pillow fights? You can release stress, burn a few calories and have a few laughs.

10. Social shaping! Gyms are expensive and some people just aren't into home workouts. There are alternatives, starting with walks at the high school track with friends. If you have a local college, find out about water aerobics classes, yoga and more. These are usually pretty affordable and lots of fun. Call the local YMCA and find out about family deals too.

These are just a few of the things that I have tried and found to work. Nothing sounds better than to hear, "Have you been working out?" Well, yes I have!