10 Ways to Just Shut Up and Live Healthy!

Living healthy. Ah, everyone wants to do it. Everyone wants to know what it feels like. Everyone wants to look healthy, feel healthy, be healthy. Right? Then, why are we not? Why is a daily struggle it seems? Why can't it be easy to lose weight? Why can't it be easy to live healthy?

Just shut up and live healthy. What? Shut up? I love the line in "Sleepless in Seattle" when Tom Hank's son says that, "Shut up? Shut up? Mom never told me to shut up?" I use that line all the time. We want to talk about it, read about it, think about it, contemplate making a change, blah, blah, blah, just shut up and do it.

Can it be that easy? 

I'm emotionally tough on my clients. I give them workouts, give them nutritional guidance, I give them support, but when it comes down the emotions, I am like a mirror in your face, showing you what you cannot see at first glance. I don't change your face - I show you - and you change. So, here's the mirror for today...

1. Exercise your body. It does NOT have to be excessive. It does NOT have to be for an hour a day. But you need to work your body. You need to lift weights, you need to do cardio, you need to stretch. Our bodies are meant to be active, not sit around on a couch all night. Make your body happy by treating it right and moving. 
2. Feed your body. Starving does NOT work. Crazy diets do NOT work. Eating good, nutritious foods does. Eating in moderation. Making healthy choices. Eating food that will nourish your body. Eliminating things that are bad for you - you already know what they are - excessive sugar, poor fats and colas [all colas, don't even say the word "Diet" coke around me].
3. Deal with your cravings. Break it down. Were you raised to have it as a comfort food? Are you emotionally attached to it? Why? Figure out how you can deal with it. From cold-turkey elimination of it [not bad if you can do it] to gradual reduction, learn how to be in control and NOT let the food be in control. Find out if your body is low on a certain vitamin or mineral that causes you to crave certain foods.
4. Become emotionally strong. Who cares what people say? Who cares what people around you are doing, or eating? Does it really matter to you? FOCUS on you - what you are doing, what you are eating. Take the comments and either prepare your comebacks in advance or just shut up and smile. Buck up. Don't worry about what others say about your desire to live healthy. Don't criticize and don't let yourself be criticized. Just make healthy choices and live with it. 
5. Educate yourself. When you see an advertisement, ask yourself "Is this marketing and advertising?". Do the research. Read food labels. Read trusted websites with health information. Find out your bodyfat% and BMI. Know your weight and where it should be. 
6. Challenge yourself. Set goals. Find something that will motivate you - whether it is a photo, a race, a weight number, a bodyfat% number, a clothing size. Go with your heart's desire - what have you always wanted to do but don't think you can? Really, be honest with yourself.
7. Be an example. When the going gets tough, the tough get tougher. When you have to eat at a buffet, be an example and choose healthy items. When you are stuck at a reception with sweet overload, be an example and choose the fruit and veggies. When you are at work and are looking at a long afternoon, get a healthy snack. Don't just run for the candy bowl or vending machine and call it a day. Be an example without shouting it out to the world.
8. Handle stress. Crucial. Find something that works for you. Whether it is meditation, working out, massage [I highly recommend], weekly epsom salt bath, do it. Relax your body and your mind and get the tension out. 
9. Be positive. Your body listens to everything you say about it. Be nice. Don't say "I hate my butt", say "I am working to be healthy and I love my body". Think about what you say about yourself to yourself. Would you say that to your child - or to your spouse? Then why would you say it to yourself? 
10. Learn to trust your inside voice again. Your instinct. Remember that? That voice that tells you when you do something right or wrong? That voice that knows what is best for you that has been pushed aside. Start listening to it again. Start believing in yourself. Start trusting your instincts and what you need to do to live healthy. If you know that something is bad for you, listen to that voice and don't compromise.

You can live healthy. You just make that choice.

I am always here to help you. Now shut up and get to work on living healthy...

Running in the Rain and Other Obstacles in Life

It's Friday morning, my track day. On the training agenda - 4 miles on the track - working on sprints and speed. So I wake up to a little sprinkling. That's okay, I don't mind running in sprinkles. So I gear up with my running apparel and pink Arnold hat and grab a jacket on the way out. It starts raining a little harder. That's okay, I can run in the rain.

I'm on a schedule, a training schedule. It's important for me to get in my workouts. And it starts raining even harder.

Sigh. Is this life or what? 

My training is going good. Real good. I am making progress, I am having fun and it never seems to fail...when my training is great, my life falls apart. However, when my training sucks or I'm injured, my life is good. What's with that? Why so many obstacles and how can I overcome them?

I am all about overcoming obstacles, but this "problem" in my life seems insurmountable. Is that a word? So, here's a picture of my "problem".
Isn't it pretty? It's all wrapped up with a pretty pink bow. Pink is my signature color, ya know. I keep it wrapped up with the pretty bow around it because it's easier to handle that way and I don't have to deal with the harsh reality that I screwed up and made a mistake again.

And it keeps raining. 

So, I arrive at the track. No one to be seen. Anywhere. It's just me. Just me and my stupid training schedule. 4 miles. 12 laps. I can do this.

As I put on my jacket, I wonder why I didn't grab my red waterproof jacket instead of this one, I put on my hat and the jacket has a hood so I put that on over the hat. I gear up my music which today is a compilation of:

-Michael Jackson [gotta have]
-Rick Springfield [duh]
-Guns and Roses
-MC Hammer [can't touch this]
-Theme song to Biggest Loser [what have you done today to make you feel proud]
-Taylor Hicks
-And of course, Rocky theme song [you knew that was coming]

I get out of the car into the rain and start jogging. I say to myself "Okay God, it's you and me today" and I hear a rumble of thunder. Cool. I can do this.

The first few laps were jubilation, "I'm running in the rain, I can do anything". Then it really started raining. And my feet got wet. Oh no, not wet feet. I can handle the rain, but I can't stand having wet shoes and socks. So miserable to run in.

Then my pretty little package started coming undone. Lap by lap, I became drenched in my problem. Is it ever going to go away? Am I ever going to fix it?

And it keeps raining harder. 
And the puddles are getting bigger.

At first, I went around the puddles, but now they are so big that I have no choice, I just plunge right through them. More wet feet.

No thunder during this whole time. I'm on my own. It's my decision now. Do I fix the problem? How do I fix the problem?

The rain continues to beat down on me and at lap 7, I can't tell which direction it is coming from now. Is it from the side or from the ground because it's everywhere now. I have never been this wet before, ever, I am sure.

At lap 9, I must have been delirious and sure that they would send someone out to get me for the funny farm. Still not a soul in sight. I'm still by myself, alone, trying to figure out my problem.

And it keeps raining harder. 
And the puddles are getting bigger.

My clothes are weighing on me now, I'm completely drenched, and I don't know how I'm going to do the last mile. I want to go to the car so bad, but my training schedule looms in front of me, one more mile to go.

And the rain eases up. Finally. Not all together, but a little bit. I keep running. I keep thinking about what I can do to fix my problem. And then the final lap. I promised myself if I got this far, I would take off my jacket and hat, all my protection, and just run free, so I did. I ripped everything off and ran the last lap, free of protection, face to the sky, rain falling on me. It was glorious.

And when I was done, I felt good. My problem was still there, but the bow was undone, and I had some ideas now on how to fix it.

And there was no rainbow. And I was really looking for one too. It would have been so perfect. But it wasn't there. Only another rumble of thunder as I got a blanket from the trunk, God telling me I made it through the rain. I smiled. It's going to be okay. Whether I lose a relationship, my house, I'm still strong enough to make it through the rain.

The obstacles are always going to be there, every day. It's what you do with them and how you get through them, even when it keeps raining and the puddles get bigger.

Now, I wonder, how long it will take my shoes to dry...

So what's the deal with P90X?

I must get asked this question 10-20 times a week. By clients, by people I meet on the street. Everyone wants to know the same thing - does it work? 

P90X

First of all, P90X was developed in 2004 by Tony Horton, a follow-up program to Power 90, a program he had developed in 2001. 

"Power 90 combines quick, intense cardiovascular exercises with moderate-level strength and weight training. P90X (for “Power 90 Extreme”), which promises a “ripped” physique to those who follow his rigorous workouts and diet plan for 90 days. P90X features a number of different bodyweight and resistance training exercises, and cardio formats including plyometrics and the martial art of kenpo. The varied workout schedule is based on the concept of “muscle confusion,” a form of cross-training, which holds that the body will continuously improve when faced with unfamiliar movements."

So, does it work?

I have the P90X system. No, I didn't buy it. Actually, I did buy it. But not for me. It was a present for someone who used it a couple of times and then let it sit in the box, no names will be mentioned.

I love P90X. I love Tony Horton. I think he is a great trainer.

Do I use it?

No.

Why not?

Since I started working out in 2001 and made my big transformation, I have tried many workout programs. I have gone through many 12-week workout programs designed to help me be a better runner, weight programs to help tone up, cardio programs, you name it, I've tried it. I have a weakness I'll admit - I love to get and read fitness magazines [the good ones] and try their workouts. I am always trying something new. Or if I see something on the Biggest Loser during one of their challenges, I'll try it at home. I love to continually challenge my body.

So, yes, I have tried the P90X program. I liked it, for a little while. Maybe a week or so. I got bored. I love the exercises. I loved Tony the first couple of days and then after that, the "P90X" whispered while using arm motions to form an "X" kind of got on my nerves a little bit. Actually, I think I stayed with it for 4 weeks at one point. Then I went onto something else. But that's me. I train for triathlons so the majority of my training is spent on the things I do on race day - swimming, biking and running. There is not a lot of cardio in P90X. I have found that it works better for MEN than WOMEN. If a female client wants to do it, she usually has to add more cardio in addition to the workouts. Not to say it is easier for the guys.

There are a few things about P90X:
-The before and after shots are awesome. I love seeing the reduction of bodyfat %. However, if you read the FINE print, you will see that these results are not typical AND only if you follow the P90X program to a T for 12 weeks, ALONG with the P90X nutrition program.
-The nutrition program is very strict. I wish I had it here in front of me, but the Type A male that I gave it to lost it somewhere. However, from what I remember, it is very stringent and might be hard for a beginner or moderate exerciser to follow.
-You have to stick with the program. You cannot just do it for two weeks and expect results. In fact, here is a breakdown of a typical 12-week program - NOT just P90X - any 12-week life-changing program:

Week 1 - Exercise is great, nutrition is great, excited about making a change
Week 2 - Ouch - exercise makes you hurt, it's hard to eat right, reality is setting in
Week 3 - Oops - missed a couple of workouts, had a couple of nights out, starting to get frustrated
Week 4 - Why am I working my ass off for this little result? I am working out, I deserve a break to eat this. Still not seeing results

This is a critical point. We are only in Week 4 of a 12-week program. WHEN will you see the results of your hard week? Hang on, I'll tell you...


Most likely, not until Week 8 or Week 9. Please write this down.

Yes, that's what I said. So, what does that mean?

It means you have to put your head down, shut up and get to work. You have to do the workouts every day, you have to eat right, you have to be focused. AND you have to do this for 12 weeks straight. So, can you do it?

Uh, yeah.

Will do you it?

Uh, not so sure. 80% of people won't. They might make it to Week 5 or 6, but somewhere along the way, something happens - someone they know dies, someone they know loses their job, stress with a child, stress with a relationship, family concerns - something happens and they lose their focus. Who am I talking about? All of us. It's called life. And it's NOT going to stop just so you can get your 12-week program in. I love when someone tells me "I'll start as soon as ..... " because I know most likely, they will not start because pretty soon, something else will come up.

The P90X program is a great workout program. It can help you lose weight and tone up. But you have to use it properly to see the best results. Just like ANY workout and nutrition program. If you do it half-assed, your results will be half-assed. The real key is making it past that 8-9 week mark and I would challenge you to set that goal first of all - regardless of the program that you use - to be emotionally strong and get past that 8-9 week mark, and then, you'll see some results that you are expecting.

I am here to help you. sandi@startwiththeinside.com

Finally a cure for weight loss - It's a Miracle!

My goal this weekend was to go to a great health expo in Atlanta - http://www.aliveexpo.com/
and learn about new products, new health and wellness companies, sharing information. Great location, good crowd participation, Sunday afternoon spent going from booth to booth. The best part was going with my sister Diane and daughter Amelia. But some disappointment, and I guess I should have been prepared for this, but at times I felt like a person going through the County Fair where the weird-looking guy with tattoed body is taunting me "Come here, try this, you'll like it". Ewww. I can handle it, I'm an adult, but I could tell after 5 minutes after being there that Amelia was uncomfortable, and I felt bad about that.

So, here's my report - from a Fitness Professional whose goal is to transform my clients and help them have healthy & productive lives, to save them from obesity one client at a time - yeah, yeah, yeah, get on with the show, we know...

It's a Miracle!

Finally! A cure for weight loss. No more workouts, no more eating right, no more getting your "head" into it. None of that crap. It's about time, dammit.

So, let's start with Miracle #1...

                                              I saw this one while Diane was getting a massage. 

Wow, only $25.00. No pain. Actual fat loss. Amelia had to hold me back as I fumed.

But no worries, it got worse...Miracle #2...

Oh my God, what a happy face on this poor woman. This was at another booth. Guaranteed fat loss. Doesn't she look comfortable? I can almost see the fat coming off her right now.

Here's another one from Miracle #1 from the other side. Notice the green neon sign on the corner of the booth "Magic Skinny Booth". See? It is a miracle, I wasn't foolin' ya. Only now it's "magic".

Then, onto one of my personal favorites...my beautiful sister Diane posed for this one...I especially love the title "Healthy Chocolate".

Ahhh, it's okay now, it's healthy, eat as much as you want. Yum, chocolate. It's a miracle!

Okay, I hope you know I'm being extremely sarcastic in this post. I'm sorry, I'm not usually so blunt. But people, COME ON!!!

The audience is a typical woman, walking around, looking for education, looking for someone who will tell her the truth, looking for help for health conditions, including obesity and all the medical problems it comes with. And don't get me wrong. All of the vendors were not like this. There were some very good ones, including Publix, which had an awesome booth with a lot of great information to give out, including samples.

But what is healthy about this? 

A quick fix that's considered a Miracle?

At a health expo. It must be okay, right?

People please. My poor Amelia endured my rantings and going up to some of the vendors to discuss their "miracles" while she waited patiently for me, trying not to roll her eyes too much or pull my arm to get away. And the worse the product or service, the pushier the "tattoed" guy got with me. Ewww.


I want to STOP obesity and being overweight just as much as the next person.

But - like this?

Using expensive products or procedures that are considered quick fixes but that don't work, they don't last, they don't solve the real problem. They don't make you exercise your beautiful body. They don't make you choose good foods. They don't make you face your life and get your emotions in order. No - the exact opposite - just cover it up. Fix it up for a while before she blows again.

Please don't take this the wrong way. I used to be one of those people. Looking for anything that would help me get out of my misery.

It's not going to work.

There is a miracle. But it's not at a health expo. It's with you.

It's you - moving your body and getting good exercise.
It's you - making good nutrition choices and enjoying food without starving yourself.
It's you - starting from the inside, learning why you resort to foods that aren't good for you, learning why you make excuses, learning how to love your body.

It's not about being skinny or fitting into a certain size.

It's about being healthy. Being healthy and fit:

• So you can take care of others around you. 
• So you can challenge your body and experience the joy of pushing yourself to new limits. 
• So you can enjoy cooking and eating in moderation the things that you enjoy. 

Friend, YOU are the miracle. Don't look any further. You already have it. Now go make it work. If you don't know how, I am here to help you.

sandi@startwiththeinside.com

Excuse #2 - I Don't Have Enough Time... [Part 2]

Okay kids, I finally have time to finish this.

Back to making time a priority in your life. You may say you want to be healthy, but you don't have enough time to do so. Really? We talked about going through your day hour by hour to see what you could squeeze out of there, but really, what is your time spent on? Are you saying 'yes' to too many people? Are you involved in too many things? Do you do things just because no one else will?

Believe me, I am guilty of all of the above. My biggest time is being a parent, taking them to and from places, volunteering at school and PTSA's, teaching them, spending time with them. It is very easy to get over-involved, esp. if you have more than one child. It's great for your child to be involved in activities, but sometimes it goes overboard. Do they really need to do 2 or 3 sports a season, along with outside school clubs, music lessons, etc, until you spend every spare minute taking them someplace? Sometimes you have to just sit down and pare down your responsibilities. If you are a mom who is frazzled and spends your life doing that - taking them from place to place - think about what you are teaching your child: To be frazzled. To be disorganized. To feel like they have to run from event to event, stressed out, grabbing fast food. You think the burden is all on you, but is it?

Sometimes you just have to say 'no'. I know it's hard. But your time is your time. All of us have the exact same number of hours in a day to do something with it. As far as being fit and living a healthy life, you need to spend time doing that. You need:

-20-30 minutes a day to exercise
-20-30 minutes a day to prepare meals
-1 hour a week to plan exercise and meals for the week

That doesn't sound terribly hard, right? Then why do we complain about time while we sit on the couch at night and watch tv? Why is our health failing and we are continuing to get fatter and fatter? Why do we keep getting more and more depressed? Do you think it's just going to POP - get all better one day? You're just magically going to have time, maybe when the kids graduate? Moms today are in a caretaker mode, but they need to understand an important function of being a caretaker:


You need to take care of yourself SO you can better take care of others.

You need to take the time to exercise, take the time to prepare meals, take the time once a week to plan each of those.

Friends, like I said in Part 1, listen to what you are telling your body [and others] each day. If you keep making excuses, then your body is listening and saying to itself "Hey, we get another pass today, relax". But how is this affecting your emotions? How is this affecting your well-being? How do you feel when you look in the mirror in the morning? Are you disappointed by your body?

One last thing...when I say look in the mirror, I do NOT believe that this is all about HOW YOU LOOK. On the contrary. This is about fitness, not being skinny. This is about health, not being pretty. True beauty comes from the inside. And so does being true to yourself. Taking time for yourself. Making time to do the things that you know in your heart you need to do.

Please make time this week to start from the inside. I know you can do it.

[I need to hear from you if these posts are making a difference in your life. Leave me a comment OR a suggestion for future posts. Stay tuned for more excuses, including "I can't afford a personal trainer"...tell me your excuse so I can blog about it. If you don't want to leave a comment, email me personally at sandi@startwiththeinside.com]

Excuse #2 - I Don't Have Enough Time... [Part 1]

"I don't have enough time to work out" 
"I don't have enough time to plan my meals" 
"I barely have time to grab a fast food meal before I'm going to the next thing"
"I don't have enough time..."

Yes, the topic of this excuse is "time". Sit down and buckle up, here we go.

First of all, I am not here to be your friend. I am here to save your life.
I am not here to be your buddy, I am here to help you regain your health and live healthy.
Not that I don't enjoy friends and buddies, I do. When I write about excuses, it is really hard because people take it personally. I write it to help you. I am not out to single you out or criticize you, I am here to help you. Anything that I write about I have gone through myself. I have used all of these excuses too.

So...what's up with the lack of time?

People are busy today. Crazy busy. People are busy with their jobs. People are busy with their families. People are busy with their schools. People are busy with sports. Let's talk about my favorite people and my typical client - moms!

Moms are hard-working people. Moms today are balancing so many time-consuming things - they are carpooling, they are taking kids to sports games, they are being involved in their schools, they are shopping, cooking, cleaning - and oh yes, they have jobs on top of all this. Moms are busy. Moms are busy with no time. So, do they get a pass when I hear the excuse "I don't have enough time to ..."? Uh no, sorry moms!

When someone says "I don't have enough time", it means one of two things:
-You didn't or won't make time
-Your priority is not to make time

If you thought about it, could you write down hour by hour everything that you do each day? And if you did that, could you find some time in there to play with? Maybe?

When your priority is health, you find time. 
When your priority is fitness, you find time. 
When your priority is living a healthy life - so you can take care of others - you find time. 

Time is everywhere.
Time is here.
Time is now.

And time has become a convenient excuse for some who are overweight and don't know what to do about it. Yes, you are a busy person. Congratulations. Now, let's lose some weight. Let's get your life back.

There are many misconceptions about time when it comes to working out and living healthy. Some people have an idea in their mind about HOW much time they need to spend - working out, eating healthy, etc. They think they need to spend one or two hours in the gym for any results. They think they need to spend hours preparing food. Then they look at their life - hour by hour - and they say "I don't have enough time for that". And there's the excuse. Another unhealthy dinner choice, another unhealthy day, another Scarlett O'Hara "I'll think about it tomorrow" day and there ya go. Sound familiar?

So, where do you find this time thing? 

First, you look at your priorities.

Yes, you need to work. Yes, you need to take care of your family. But look at your life and see where you can find time. Could you find 20-30 minutes each day to work out? Could it be in the morning before everyone else gets up? Could it be on your lunch hour? Could it be in the evening while watching TV?

I will continue this post in the next few days, because...I've run out of time. Literally. I know, it figures. See, I told you I only write about those things that happen to me. I have to go to work and help change the lives of my clients - because that's what I LOVE to do. But until then, think about TIME. Think about the time you have and think about the time you need. In Part 2, we will talk about ways to get more time, how to use time more efficiently, and how to stop wasting time.

One more thing before I go...in my last post, I talked about saying "I'm so tired" to yourself 20 times a day and how your body is listening -- same thing with TIME. If you continually tell yourself [and everyone around you] "I don't have enough time" or "I don't have time", then your body is listening AND you won't have time. Again, your body is listening to what your mind is telling it. If you say "I am going to make time to be healthy" or "I will find time to change my body", then your body will listen. Think about what you say to yourself [or others] each day. Start taking those thoughts or sayings - claim them - and then CHANGE them.

It all starts with the inside, baby. Now get to work...

Excuse #1 - I'm Too Tired to Workout

How many times have I heard this one? It's funny when I meet new people and they ask what I do. As soon as I mention health & fitness, they immediately tell me what they "should" be doing - I so dislike the word "should" - and then the excuses begin. I didn't ask for excuses! But I get them anyway! I decided to address some of the most common excuses that I often hear. I say "most common" because literally I could write for weeks on this subject with all of the excuses I have heard.

Yeah, gonna be a tough one today. Feeling a little tough.

"I'm too tired to workout"

Ever said that? Do you ever say to yourself OR to others "I'm so tired" followed by "I'm completely exhausted" or "I'm beat" and other not-so-uplifting statements. Did you know your body can hear you? Really. Take a typical "tired" day in your life, and count the number of times you say that outloud or to yourself "I'm so tired". I have to catch myself on those tired days. It comes naturally. It's a bad habit.

Too tired can come from many places:
-Not getting enough sleep [a huge one]
-Staying up too late
-Getting up too early
-Doing too much during the day, too busy
-Stress [another huge one]
-Eating habits
-Not working out

Of course, the biggest one is not getting enough sleep. For whatever reason. We tend to stay up too late and get up too early and expect our body to respond positively and then we are disappointed when it doesn't.

So, how can we not be so tired?

Well, changing your habits is a good place to start. Take the list above and tackle each point, one by one.
-If you are staying up too late, enforce a bedtime. Do what it takes to get to bed on time, shut off the computer and TV and start listening to your inside voice.
-Many times, we cannot control what time we have to get up in the morning, but try to adjust your schedule so that you can sleep in once or twice a week, just a little bit. Prepare a little bit the night before also - plan meals for the next day, clean the kitchen, do the little things that take time in the mornings.
-Learn to say no to some things. You cannot do everything, so don't try. Either say no or get the people around you to help. Yes, that includes kids. Busyness is good if it is productive and healthy; it's not good if it is draining.
-Learn to handle your stress. This is a huge one and there is no one answer. Each person has to find what works for them, but find it!
-Feed your body well. If you know you "shouldn't" eat something, then don't. Eat a balanced nutrition plan - fruits and veggies, lean meats. Eliminate sodas and sugar.
-Exercise your body with a good weight training program and an effective cardio program.

And last, but not least...
-Sometimes, you are just going to be tired. It's inevitable. But you have to go on. If you tell your body all day long [and everyone you meet] "I'm so tired" then YOUR BODY WILL LISTEN AND OBEY and you WILL be tired all day long. Watch your words that you speak to your body. It's time to buck up, soldier.

Words you can use...
"I know I didn't get enough sleep, but I am strong and I'll make it through the day"
"I am healthy"
"I am working on making my body stronger and healthier"
"I can do this"

I don't say these words in jest. I've been there too. Who hasn't? I've had the bad nights where you wake up just dead to the world and wonder how you are going to get through the day. Regardless, you can get through the day in two ways - in a healthy way or an unhealthy way. You already know the unhealthy way - did that help at all? Does it help your situation or make you feel more rested to say "I'm so tired" 20 times a day? Or can you try another way? A healthy way? You can get through the day, you can say nice things to your body, you can overcome this excuse. Now get to it, buck up soldier and have a great day!

Muffin Tops and Six-Packs

No, I'm not talking about your next snack. I'm talking about two physical attributes that everyone wants to work on:

-Get rid of my "muffin top" and
-Give me a "six-pack"

First of all, where did the term "muffin top" come from? I don't like it. I don't think it's appealing. When I was overweight and had a tire around my middle, the last thing I wanted to do was to wear a tight shirt. I avoided them. I wore large shirts that I never tucked in. Not these days. It seems like the more overweight a person is, the tighter the clothes get and then here we are, face to face, with "muffin tops". The belly hangs over the belt, creating a rim around the waist that looks like a puffy muffin top.

And "six-pack"? You see them on all the fitness magazines. The cover models all have them proudly displayed with their bikinis on and how they got them just by taking a magic pill, a dangerous over-the-counter fat burning pill. They don't mention they spent  6 hours a day in the gym or that they haven't had a real carb in two months in anticipation of the photoshoot. Yet, everyone wants one. They want the lined ripples outlining a "six-pack" on their flat stomach.

So, how can you get rid of your muffin top and get a six-pack? 

Is it easy?

If you have a muffin top, the problem is not only in your "weight", it is in your bodyfat%. You need to lower your bodyfat %. How do you do this? Through a good weight training program [that you can do at home], effective cardio and proper nutrition. Is it hard? Depends on how bad you want it.

If you don't want to give up a serving a fries five times a week, then yes, it is too hard.
If you don't want to exercise 20-30 minutes a day five times a week, then yes, it is too hard.
If you don't want to give up dessert every night, then yes, it is too hard.

It amazes me that people want an easy ride when it comes to losing weight. Oh no, I can't give up the food that is making me sick, but oh yes, I can complain about my body and how overweight I am. Let me let you in on a little secret:

It is very easy to gain weight and even get overweight. 
It is very hard to lose weight and even get fit. 

Sorry, had to tell you the truth.

Now about six-packs. Everyone wants one, even if they have a muffin top, they still want a six-pack to magically transform when and if they lose weight. Doesn't work like that. Even when you lose weight, your stomach does not just transform and boom - there's your six-pack. A six-pack takes a lot of dedication and hard work. So how do you do it? Through a good weight training program [that you can do at home], effective cardio and proper nutrition. Is it hard? Depends on how bad you want it. [Sound familiar?]

I'd love to show you an easy way to do get rid of your muffin top and get a six-pack. There is no easy way.

-There's not a pill that will give you this.
-There's not an exercise program that will give you this.
-There's not a magic food that will give you this.

It's working out. 
It's eating right. 
It's becoming emotionally strong to deal with your cravings and temptations. 

And that's when you'll see results. Are you ready to get started?