EXERCISE

Now, those of you who know me personally are already aware that I cannot say enough about exercising. I became a gym rat in college, and haven't stopped working out since. I don't go every day, and it's not like all of my workouts are super-intense. But even on the lazier days when I just jump on the elliptical for half an hour, I always tell myself that it's better than no workout. There are really no negative aspects of exercising (except perhaps for the chance of injury, but just be careful). The release of endorphins makes you feel great, a toned body looks awesome in a bikini, and your overall health will improve drastically. Notice that I said nothing about losing weight. That's not why I work out, and I'll admit that my biggest weight loss came from dieting, not exercising (though I don't recommend this. Yes, I lost 20+ pounds by simply not eating anything, but even if this could be a very fast way to lose weight, it clearly is not the healthiest). If you want to lose weight, then by all means, exercise! But this does not have to be the purpose of working out.

The main excuse I hear from people about why they don't work out is because they don't have the time. If something is important to you, you make time for it! In 2013, make it a point to exercise, even if it's just a little bit. Go for a weekly run, take a Zumba class, own a set of hand weights that you can lift while you watch TV. You've got to start somewhere, and sometime, so why not now?