Film at 11: Chubby Chick Exercises, Eats Vegetables

And so the journey of eating right and moving continues. So far it's been a pretty rewarding one, and not nearly as arduous as I anticipated. It's really not that difficult to avoid the drive-thrus and soda and transition to healthy food that really is delish/nutrish. Granted, baby steps are important, not just diving head first into eating one celery stalk per day and a bottle of one-calorie lemon water straight up...that would be my biggest piece of advice.

Hiking Runyon Canyon. It helps to mix up going to the gym
and doing outdoor exercise, to prevent boredom.

It's strange that I'd be the one doling out advice! But that's what I have to say. Just don't view it as a chore. It's not a punishment, it's freedom. Freedom from carting around weight your body doesn't need, freedom from your heart having to pump blood through tons of excess tissue, freedom from the possibility of a shorter life because your organs give out when you turn 70. Believe me, I know of those people who only exceed a fat person's life expectation because they are kept alive by science, and I don't want to be one. Hell, I want to get fit before thirty so losing weight isn't a REAL hassle because my metabolism has slowed down.

Make veggies part of every meal!!!

Getting in the right mindset, I'd say, is the first step. I've half-heartedly tried losing weight before, and that doesn't work, long-term. It takes a real effort to make a lifestyle change, and having people in your corner, like my roommate Joe or my friends online, helps a lot. If you don't have friends to help, then join an online support group, or use the My Fitness Pal message boards, that's what I've done. Just don't bust a nut trying to count calories. If you're eating right, and in good portion sizes, you don't really need to do that. Of course I'm sure some would disagree, but weight loss advice is a subjective field, in some respects. That's why there's so much BS out there to wade through!

Granted, I still have those days where I'd rather sleep, or watch some Sex and the City or just wallow in boredom, but then I turn on the roommate's espresso machine, get myself a double and put on the gym clothes. Kind of like the little engine that could. I'm in the midst of going up a seemingly insurmountable incline, but I keep on truckin'. No cheating. No gimmicks. No quick fixes. Just work hard and keep positive and motivated!