Rules.

We all hate them. And for some of us we believe that rules were made to be broken. But I disagree. I've come up with a some rules that I think will help in the quest for a healthier body. I may even add more along the way...

Rule #1
Throw out that pesky scale.
It never did anything for anyone. Instead, focus on how you feel when you look in the mirror and how your clothes are fitting. You will see a difference in how you LOOK and FEEL. No one cares how much you weigh and neither should you.
TIP: The worst time to weigh yourself is when you first start working out. Your body is building muscle while trying to get rid of the fat, which can make your weight go up before it starts going down. So again, throw out the scale. Then you won't even be tempted.

Rule #2
You must lift weights.
I know most women don't like weights because they don't want to end up looking all muscular like a man. Truth is, your body does not produce enough testosterone to ever let you look like a man. And bonus! The more muscle you have, the more you burn when you work out (and when you're sedentary).

Rule #3
DO NOT calorie count.
This does not mean eat whatever you please. Be calorie concious. I believe that calorie counting just frustates everyone. But be aware that just because a food item says "low calorie" or "low fat" or "diet" does not mean that it really is. A low calorie bag of cookies might just be 5 calories lower than your favorite cookies and may be worse in other areas. Again, be concious not crazy.

Rule #4
NEVER DRINK DIET!
Diet products are SOOOO much worse than non diet. Ever notice how a person who only drinks diet coke thinks that regular coke is not sweet at all? This is because they are hooked on fake sugar and fake sugars (aka splenda and crap) tranform the way your body perceives sugar. It makes you believe that something with real cane sugar is not sweet at all and can cause you to eat MORE of it to satify your sweet craving. Not to mention that you are eating something FAKE! You wouldn't feed your dog fake food, need I say more?

Rule #5
Never starve yourself.
I have no idea how this thinking ever came into existence but does it really make sense that starving yourself will make you fit? It makes you sick. And yet, so many people believe that this is the #1 thing they should be doing. When you starve yourself, your body enters "starvation mode" where it holds on to everything it has because it doesn't know when the food it needs is coming or if it ever will. Good for if you're stranded on an island but not the solution to weight loss. Eventually your body will eat away your muscle and then break down your fat. So please, eat small portions and drink water.
TIP: I once asked a girl in high school P.E. class why she was wearing a sweater and sweatpants when it was 90 degrees outside. She informed me that she loses more weight this way. I was too timid to say EXCUSE ME?! You're wrong.... Well I guess she was right but she was just getting rid of water weight, making herself sweat more. What do you think happens when you drink that whole water bottle because you're dyyyying of thirst??
Work out in weather appropriate attire, please.