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You’ve been sitting on the fence forever. You know you want to get in shape, but you’re not sure where to start. You are lost among a gazillion of fitness offers and healthy eating trends. Stop waiting for a gsign from heaven. Health will never happen to you unless you MAKE IT HAPPEN! It doesn’t matter where you start, as long as you do. Jump off that fence, stop thinking, just do it!

You are smart enough to know that marketing pitches like “flatten your tummy in 5 minutes a day,” or “sculpt your butt while sitting still” are meant to drive sales, not get you in shape. When I give orientations to new clients at my studio I don’t promise them a walk in the park. I am being honest about the fact that fitness takes an effort. At the same time I guarantee that my instructors will be there for them every step of the way, guiding and encouraging. Don’t get discouraged by the false promises. Find a program that sounds legit and try it out!

You finally made it to the gym and now feel intimidated by the Mr. Muscle who’s pumping iron in the weights room and Ms. Perfect who’s finishing a half-marathon on the treadmill. Relax. It’s OK if you can’t keep up with the overachievers in the front row of your group fitness classes. No one expects you to perform or look like an athlete when you first walk into a gym. Focus on what you can do NOW. Don’t quit. Just do the best you can and allow your body to catch-up. You’ll be surprised how far you’ll come.

It’s good to keep your eye on the prize, but it’s easy to burn out if you’re rushing to your fitness goals. De-emphasize the “work” in “working out”. Slow down, learn to take pleasure in movement. Scientists have proved that exercise has a great mood enhancement effect. It makes your body release special hormones called endorphins, which make you feel happy. Most of my clients prove this statement to be true. They see movement as play, fun, and release. This makes them look forward to their workouts and helps them maintain a stable exercise schedule.

Be aware that progress is not a straight line. If you are gauging success on how much you weigh each morning, you are bound to give up before you can establish healthy habits or see real change. Most of my clients’ charts look like twisted lines of progress, regress, more progress, and lessons learned along the way. A year later, dozens of pounds lost – for good. Worth the roller coaster ride, for sure.