The Difference Between "Working Out" and "WORKING OUT"

So, I don't know if any of y'all have made those New Year's Resolutions that go something along the lines of "I'm gonna get healthy and workout every day and lose a ton of weight and keep it off forever!" or not.

I'll be honest: I have.

To be even more honest, I still am.

I wanted to lose 15 or 20 pounds by the end of the year.

I was doing well at first -- I lost 6 pounds in January, but then I gained it back.

Know why?

I wasn't doing it right.

I wasn't eating a whole lot, but that was it.

That's not the way to approach it.

Now I'm working out at least three times a week, usually about four or five, in addition to watching what I eat.

I was counting calories, but now I'm not really. It's in the back of my mind to be conscious of it, but I'm working eight hours a day, so I don't have much time to eat -- nor am I really that hungry by the time I do get a chance.

I've actually started a Tumblr where I post workout plans and such for those that might just need a game plan for actually working out. The series I'm posting now is a week long SPARTAN Workout, which are mostly strength training exercises (don't worry -- you don't need a gym subscription or equipment at home!) I'm planning to start a S.H.I.E.L.D. Workout soon, which will focus on building flexibility and perhaps post a (theoretical) weekly menu. Maybe.

Another really good thing to do when trying to lose weight or even get healthier is to have support and keep track of your progress.

MyFitnessPal is great for keeping track of your weight, measurements, and calories (if you plan to count them). If you'd like to add me, feel free to!

MyFitnessPal - Nutrition Facts For Foods

Also, if you'd like a quick - but effective - workout, I'd suggest doing this one. It's 4 minutes long, but those 4 minutes burn about 130 calories!

There's just a few things that you really can't afford to forget:

- God made you the way you are. You're tasked with maintaining the temple, not overhaul renovations exactly. Just to be a good steward of what you're given. He's made you as you are purposefully and you're beautiful (or handsome, as the case may be) that way.

- You can't change what you look like too much. I mean, if you have curves now, you're probably going to always have those curves. If you curve-less now, you're probably not going to have a whole lot later. And if this gets you down, just re-read the section above.

- Don't do anything you won't be able to keep up for the rest of your life. As my mom says, don't diet, live-it! Don't do some crazy diet that promises to help you shed 50 pounds in a week because that's 1) not realistic, and 2) you can't eat - or not eat! - like that forever. Slow and steadfast wins the race. And if this gets you down, read the top part again.