Once the New Year has been rung in, it’s time to face the facts. The holiday season is over, and there is no excuse to keep gorging on Christmas cookies. You have a few more months to hide in your fat pants, but before you know it bikini season will be here, so don’t get left behind!

I know it’s a rough transition from eating like Santa to hitting the gym, so use these tips to take it slow.

First off, don’t make your New Year’s Resolution “lose 20 lbs.” This is typically a trap. You will go to the gym for maybe half of January, meanwhile still enjoying those holiday leftovers, and quit when you don’t see the results. Set realistic goals like, “I want to be able to button my jeans a little easier,” or simply promising yourself to hit the gym more regularly. Read More »

Up until a year ago, I never exercised. Well—almost never. I played seasonal tennis all through middle school and high school, and I often took my dog for a walk, but other than that, I was pretty content sitting at my desk all day and lifting my English textbooks up and down.

Right after I finished my senior year of undergrad, though, I found myself living back at home for a short time while I transitioned between things. My dad had been trying to get me to do regular exercise for years to no effect. It was easy to ignore him while I was away at school, but when I was at home and he was right there it was almost impossible.

“Fine,” I said one day, completely out of irritation. “I’ll start exercising.”

Yeah, I should pretty much build a thank-you monument to my dad.

So here I am, one year later. Let’s talk about what has and hasn’t changed. Here’s what hasn’t: I still hate exercise with every fiber of my being. I dread it all day until I finally get it done. I am still not athletic, and I am still pretty awkward at any physical activity.

But here’s what has changed: almost everything. I had love handles before, and now I don’t. I might have gotten tired and puffed at the top of three flights of stairs a year ago, but there’s no way I would now. I had this annoying stick-out part of my stomach when I first started exercising, and now it’s gone. I have more energy. I have more exuberance. I have cravings for healthier food. Read More »