Getting Fit and Ready to Lose Weight in 08!

It's that time of year! Resolutions are right around the corner, the gyms will be packed with people getting the 07 weight off, and everyone you know will be on a diet. It's the one time of year you won't have many people sabotaging you...that's for sure! They'll all be on a diet, too! Today and throughout the rest of the 07 season I'm focusing on what to do to get ready for the new year. Shameless Plug Alert: If you are smart you will join PNP NOW and get all your tools and resources ready for a nice rolling start on Jan. 1!!!

Here are ten steps to losing weight and getting fit in 08:

1. Make a success journal.
2. Find a trainer, buddy or a community to work with you.
3. Make a schedule for the first thirty days to exercise and stick to that schedule.
4. Don't skip one single day of exercise.
5. Have a good workout plan that will lead to success. Success equals STRENGTH first and CARDIO second.
6. Tell everyone your goals!!!
7. Find a diet plan that will work for you and that is HEALTHY...not a quick fix. (Cough, cough...Weight Watchers or The Eat Clean Diet)
8. Cut out junky carbs.
9. Reward yourself frequently.
10. Erase Fat Girl Thinking!!!

Between now and the end of the year we are going to focus on one topic a blog. Today let's talk about recording your starting statistics.

When you are trying to lose weight you need all the motivation you can get and sometimes the scale just doesn't give you the reward you are looking for. Also, people need to see progress or lack of to know if what they are doing is really working for their body. I encourage each of you to to take you weight loss journey seriously by setting up your success journal:

1. Buy a three-ring binder (a big one) and some divider tabs.
2. Divide your book into chapters: Starting statistics, progress pictures, workout calendar and workout journals, menu planning, and food journals, goal planning (you can find on my website), etc. As we go along we'll/you'll add tabs. This is a nice starter list for you.
3. Take some before pictures. Have a look on your face like you just got out of jail and stand as unappealing as possible. This just makes each picture from here on out more motivating.
4. Take your measurements. You can find how to do that on this site.
5. Get your Body Fat%. You can use the calculator on the link above or you can use a home scale. Although not accurate, they do show a trend when it's moving.
6. Write down your starting BMI.
7. If you have your latest blood work throw that in there too. It's an excellent indicator of your health progress.
8. Calculate your resting heart rate. As you get fitter it should go down.
9. Finally, put your starting weight in there. At times the scale pays off and at times it doesn't. But, that's just one tiny part of the entire picture.

This begins your success story in your journal. Every month update as many of the indicators as possible so that you can see how well you are doing or if by your stats you need to mix things up. By seeing all the ways you are changing you will be more motivated to continue. There is nothing like the black and white numbers validating the great things that are going on with your body. As women we are very quick to dismiss the successes we are having if the scale doesn't do EXACTLY like we want it to.

Tomorrow we'll talk about scheduling. Finding a trainer and community will come later. :)