My goal of this book is to keep it short,  real and non-scientific(because I'm not good with science).   I think most of know how to take care of our bodies but our mind seems to get in the way.  We're all busy but not too busy where we can't take 10 minutes for physical activity.  

You have to get your mind right and decide you have the power and ability to take care of your body.  God gave us one body to manage and take care of.  How are you doing so far?  If you're not ready to make a change then stop reading this book and pick it up later when you're ready to make a change.  It's never too late to begin your health journey it is too late when you're no longer on this earth.  

What are you waiting for?  What's holding you back?  You can find something to do.  It doesn't need to be big but only that you impress yourself and get started!

We need food to sustain us but not drain us.  I'm not a food expert but do know that balanced nutrition is key in maintaining a healthy weight.  In my combined 20+ years teaching group exercise classes and personal training, I often hear people say the reason they exercise is because they like to eat but often times they're overweight.  You can't outexercise a bad diet; you'd spend too much time in gym burning off these calories. 

Things you need to know:

 1.  Burning about  3500 calorie per week results in 1lb lost.  The calories can be burned through physical activity, nutrition or both.  Losing 1-2lb a week is a healthy way to lose weight.    

2.  Muscle doesn't turn into fat.  Muscle and fat cells are different, muscles lose their tone when not exercised consistently.

3.  Go to www.choosemyplate.gov for basic nutritional guidance on how many carbohydrates, fats and protein to include in your diet.  

4.  Use a food tracking app or website to see if you're nutrition is balanced.  Include everything you put in your mouth(juice, milk, alcoholic beverages, candy, etc.) and read food labels.  

As a fitness professional, I don't recommend fad diets(i.e., Keto, Atkins, etc.) for two reasons:  (1)  they're not sustainable over your lifetime and (2)  not balanced.  It's okay to splurge on cakes and cookies on special occastions but not every day, 7 days a week.  Sorry, my opinion is strict on this one.

It's time to get moving! Think about what kind of physical activity you like to do.  Do you like to hike, walk, jog/run, weightlift, etc.  Where will you exercise?(your home, at your workplace, outdoors, a local gym)? Do you prefer to exercise alone or with a friend?  How will you keep yourself accountable?(exercise partner, writing down or tracking  your workouts, schedule your workouts in your phone or on a calendar)

 Cardio and strength training are two ways to burn caloreis(engergy) if you're wanting to maintain health or improve your health. 

Cardio training burns more calores then strength training because it's rhymthic and a continuous form of exercise and results in a stronger and developed aerobic/cardiovascular system but not tight and toned muscles. 

Strength training burns fewer calories than Cardio training because it's not continuous.  There's rest between sets.  Strength training results in tight and toned muscles for men and women and burns additional calories at rest and may increase your metabolism.  In addition to these benefits there are many to name but my goal is to keep this book short.

A combination of cardio and strength training along with a  balanced, sustainable  nutrition plan, 8 hours of sleep each night will help you achieve your fitness goals.   Mental/emoitonal  and social health can impact these areas as well, make sure balance is maintained here too.  You might need to put down your device and take a break from social media as well. 

Walking is a great start to improving your cardiovascular health if you're a beginner. Progressions can include walk/jog interval, jogging and/or runnning workouts.  Check out www.jeffgalloway.com.  Weightlifting is another great way to improve strength and tighten your muscles.  If you're a beginner, start with the 7 basic movements(see list below) and consider hiring a personal trainer to keep you on track and adjust your workouts as needed.  Personal training shouldn't be a lifelong, expensive commitment but if you don't know where or how to start, hiring a perosnal trainer is a good choice.  He/she will ensure you're perfomring exercises safely and correctly based on your needs and skill.

7 fundamental movements to include in your exercise routine:  

1. Squat
2. Lunge
3. Walk/Gait
4. Bend/Hinge
5. Push
6. Pull
7. Rotate/Twist

You want results?  Consistency in your workouts, sleep habits and nutrition are key.  Get used to getting broed with the process(quote book here).  My husband and sons recently completed.....a good read on creating lasting habits.  Check it out.