New Year, New Glamorous You!

Happy 2012! It's time to leave the old mistakes, bad habits, and laziness behind you and make those resolutions that you "will absolutely stick to this year". 


You can create a new you, even if you lack the funds for a posh gym membership that includes a sauna, massage therapist, and wheat grass infused smoothies. Even if it's not in the cards for you to join a gym at all, there are many options to transform yourself this year. 


#1 Dieting
Don't believe in it. Let me get that out of the way right of the bat. The second you say the "D" word, you're setting yourself up for failure. Diet = Doomed. You're only going to end up cranky and eventually park yourself in front of your DVR whilst inhaling an entire box of Oreos. This helps no one. So I will share the eating secret that will save you both stress and money at the same time. Wait for it... Eat Less!


Seriously, all you have to do is take what you normally eat and just eat half. Suddenly one meal becomes two and you can still have cake! Just less cake. Limit the heavy sugar intake to once or twice a week and keep the portion small if you expect to see results. I promise you, it is that easy.


Also, very important, always eat breakfast! I cannot emphasize the importance of this enough. Eating within the first hour of waking up kick-starts your metabolism and will give you more energy and calorie burning power throughout the day. Yogurt and granola is a fantastic low calorie choice.


#2 Exercise
This is the key to a great body. You can diet until you are literally blue in the face but if you are not burning calories and building muscle you will only become what is called "skinny fat". You may weigh less if you eat less but if you have no muscle definition you will still look fat.


Many of us have gone through the cycle of exercising for a month or two at a time and then quitting; myself included. The secret to not only keeping yourself motivated but also seeing faster results is to do things that don't feel like exercise.


Recommendations That Don't Cost Much:

• Invest in an Xbox Kinect, Playstation Move, or Nintendo Wii. These gaming systems have made exercising at home literally like playing a game. They will teach you how to dance like the Black Eyed Peas, box, play tennis, train like a UFC fighter, or fight like a Gladiator. It is a one time expense (plus the modest cost of games) and will provide a new workout each day at the touch of a button. Get your friends involved and you will completely forget that you're torching calories while having fun with your friends.
• Take a community yoga class. Search online for a yoga studio near you that offers community classes. Many offer them at all different levels, so beginners need not feel intimidated. Yoga is not a practice you master. Everyone is at a different experience level. My yoga studio offers many community classes for beginners and more the more advanced for only $6 a class.
• P90X- This is for those who are committed to a total body transformation. With this workout you will feel like you are working out. It takes commitment and dedication, but it is completely worth it. The cost is high but manageable. You make a few low payments and you then own a three month nutrition and exercise plan that will turn you into a lean, ripped superstar. If you are wary of exercise plans you see on infomercials, let me put your mind at ease. I speak from experience when I say, this one works. If you have the courage and commitment to take it on, I promise you will see phenomenal results. However, be prepared, for the first week you will want to to quit- don't. Your body will hurt more than you thought it could but keep going. Once you get past the first week you only feel yourself getting stronger.

#3 A Positive Attitude

If you get down on yourself that you are not losing enough weight fast enough, you're going to end up in the DVR/Oreo situation I mentioned earlier. Keep at it. We all know exercise releases endorphins that make us feel good, so at the very least exercise to keep yourself happy. And schedule a date with a cupcake on Saturday nights.