Hello and welcome to my new blog. This is a place where I hope you can learn something new, pick-up a quick exercise to take to the gym, or gain inspiration to get off the couch and move. We're three days in to the new year and you, like many others, have probably made or at least thought about some sort of New Year's resolution. You may want to buy a new home, seek the promotion at work, bring a relationship to the next level, take out the neighbor's annoying dog, water your lawn more often, or start biking to work to save on gas money. Or you could join 20% of America, according to Chicago Tribune, and resolve to drop some pounds.

If losing weight is your goal this year, you may have already thought about dieting. But what diet? Recent fads have been the low-carb, high-protein diet, cottage cheese diet, grapefruit diet, even the cookie diet! The hottest diet to hit the scene is the GI (glycemic index) diet which was originally created for patients that are diebetic to regulate their sugar intake. What do these things have in common? They all work, they lose the weight. Meanwhile, they don't provide a balanced intake of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients your body needs. Also, 40% of Americans said they will most likely not stick to their resolutions this year. For dieters, the percentage is even higher for weight gain as diets are intended for short term loss. This year, say no to dieting. Instead, resolve to eat well-balanced meals and get moving. When exercise and activity begin, the "diet" and healthy eating soon follow. Your body craves what it needs. Living an active lifestyle requires that your body receives an a balanced mix of protein, carbs, and fat to give you the energy you need.

Speaking of active lifestyle, consider joining a gym. In this blog I plan to speak about nutrition and being active but with a focus on cardio and weight training. The New Year is a good time to join a gym as many have cheaper rates than at any other time of the year. Also, having a weight loss goal or even a weight gain goal can be the motivation you need to get your butt in the door. However, do not be like 70% of Americans who join a gym and quit going after three months. In fact, do not even go to the gym unless you have have a plan on how you will reach your goal. It seems with many resolutions, especially weight loss goals, that we are our own worst enemy and we have to make our plan bullet-proof or failure is sure to come. For me, its setting the alarm on my cell phone and putting it in another room so that I have to physically get up out of my bed and turn it off. It works like a charm. For others, it may be to hire a trainer, buy gym equipment for home use (although there is great room for failure here), drink a cup of coffee before hitting the weights, reward yourself after a hard work-out, or get a buddy to work out with you.

Whatever your resolve; be realistic, be successful, and have fun.