Getting started on your weight loss goal is kind of like spring-cleaning or organizing your closet. It’s not hard, but it’s usually a pain in the butt to get started. Sometimes it is just easier to get going and not think about it too long.  If you have decided to spring clean your house this month, but need to wait until you have time, energy or help – nothing is going to happen as soon as you want or need it to.

Spending more time then necessary on making a list, getting someone to help, getting the proper cleaning supplies and making sure you have enough the time in your schedule is a recipe for frustration. You may even end up starting and stopping a few times and even spend valuable time, energy and money to never really get anyway.

Same thing can be said when you organize your closet.  When you make a plan, go out and buy new hangers and organizing bins, by the time you get home you are out of time for the day. The next day you start to sort, but realize you don’t have time to finish and everything gets squished back into the corners. You then make another plan to start again next weekend. Over-scheduled and overwhelmed at having to start again, it is easy to put it off ‘one’ more time. Or at least until you have more time, a rainy day or when you have someone to help.  Even if you just finished one drawer it makes it easier to continue the process.

Losing weight has some of the same struggles.  Every time you start and stop a healthy eating and/or an exercise routine, it makes it hard to start all over again. If you are so busy that you feel like you can’t waste anytime it seems only fitting that you wait until you find the perfect product or plan. Or maybe you need to wait because you know your schedule is going to open up next week…  or you need to wait till you can afford the new cross fit program or a trainer.

It is going to be impossible to get to the stage where being healthy is not just about losing weight.

Just get started.  Spend 1 minute and decided what you are going to do today and this week to improve your health and fitness. Make it simple and get going.  I do not know one person who doesn’t know 5 things that they can do today that will take them closer to a healthier lifestyle. NOT ONE.

You know that fruit and vegetables are better for you than hamburgers and fries. You know that walking 30 minute, (even 15 minutes) is better than watching Dancing with the Star on TV.  We know that drinking water is better than soda.  Just get started doing a few things that you already know will get you steps closer to losing weight, have more energy, being more productive…

Most people know enough about health and fitness to get started and get quite far along without doing any extra research, or spending any money. Once you get to the point where you need a few tips, motivation, more detailed vs. a general get you butt moving plan then you should contact an expert, join a gym/program or take the next step like buying new shoes.   After you get moving toward your goal you will be able to ask better questions. It is easier to customize a program and your goals once you have started on the path.

But for today, just get started. Go for a walk, eat your veggies first, drink a glass of water before any soda  – or do any of the 1 to 5 simple things you already know you can do today to move you one step closer to your health goals. You may find that you have a little more energy to actually get and finish your spring-cleaning faster and be ready to tackle those closets.

Ready for an Epic adventure? Join Tracy Benham as she Cycles the Silk Road this summer with Tourd’Afrique and get all of her travel, health, fitness, training and TravelFit tips on her new Facebook page and Twitter.  

Why Losing Weight is like Spring Cleaning is a post from: Sports Health Exercise

1)  Take a break

2) Put on shoes and sunblock

3) Go for a walk

When you get back -record ideas – and take action!

Repeat daily

“Me thinks that the moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow.”

~Henry David Thoreau

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Daily Kick in the Butt: Writer’s Block, Confused, Frustrated, STUCK is a post from: Sports Health Exercise

So here is the deal if you have not reached your health and fitness goals, now’s the time to get started!

If you wait until the kids are back in school, after your vacation, when the economy gets better, when your schedule opens up, or when a pill comes out that can make you fit while you sit on the couch – stop waiting! (Unless you are a mouse – see below!).

There isn’t a perfect time to start something new once you are out of sixth grade.

Couch potato’s, gym membership avoiders and exercise haters – join us and come aboard. Give in and get fit, be more active and start the journey to increased energy – today.

We’ll help make it easy (well, much simpler and a whole lot easier to begin and keep going until fit & healthy is an integral part of your lifestyle) – stay tuned  here for quick tips, workouts, activity and sport guides, easy healthier cooking options, recipes and so much more. If you are interested in our Travel Fit program we would love to have you check out one of our favorite travel sites TravelFitNOW.com (of course we are a little biased, since it is brought to you from the teams at SHE & AHN

*A 2009 study reported that sedentary mice that were feed a ‘diet pill’ burned more calories and could exercise longer than mice than the control mice. This drug may some day help bedridden patients fight obesity and diabetes, but they are a long away from seeing if these results can some how translate to people. So health and fitness professionals can relax and not worry about how the next magical product could force them out of a job.

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Give in – Get Fit, Be Active and Start the Journey to Increased Energy – Today is a post from: Sports Health Exercise

If you don’t do what’s best for your body, you’re the one who comes up on the short end.

-Julies Erving / Dr. J

Daily Kick in the Butt: Want to be Healthy – You KNOW What To Do is a post from: Sports Health Exercise

10,996 Blogs

155 Countries / 21,426,953 Readers ( and counting)

Why would a company that specializes in health, fitness, activities and travel write a post about climate change? Climate change affects us all.

Health effects of climate change include famine and disease.

Sports and activities are usually more fun when they are played outdoors.

Being fit and healthy is easier when you aren’t wondering about food and water.

Climate Change is happening now.

“This December world leaders will gather in Copenhagen to negotiate a global response to climate change. As a world leader in greenhouse gas pollution as well as clean energy technology, the United States needs to take bold action by implementing comprehensive clean energy policies to curb emissions.”* *(http://www.blogactionday.org/)

To find out how climate change will affect you: The Top 100 Effects of Climate Change.

This list will surprise you.

It includes things like baseball, wine, salmon and skiing.

Other areas that are mentioned that effects us all: food, sports, environment, animals, health/sickness, oceans, human costs, and even national security.

Less deer, more jellyfish.

Lower mountains, more deserts.

More floods, hurricanes and fires and disease.

The time is now.

More ways to get involved**

Add your name to those across the world calling on President Obama to lead on climate change. http://www.blogactionday.org/en/takeaction

Sign the Tck Tck Tck campaign’s “I am ready” pledge supporting an ambitious, fair and binding climate agreement in Copenhagen this fall:tcktcktck.org/people/i-am-ready

Register for the 350.org International Day of Climate Action October 24: www.350.org

Join the UK Government’s “Act on Copenhagen” effort to promote a global deal on climate change: www.actoncopenhagen.decc.gov.uk/en

Learn and act with The Nature Conservancy’s Planet Change site: change.nature.org

Watch and help promote Current TV’s green-themed video journalism at: current.com/green

Support strong climate legislation in the US by making calls to your Senators with 1Sky: www.1sky.org/call

Put yourself on the Vote Earth map and upload your photos, pictures and weblinks to show the world future you want to see:www.earthhour.org/home

More actions and information available: http://www.blogactionday.org/en/takeaction

** List from The Official Blog of Blog Action Day.

Turn Down, Switch Off, Recycle, Walk, Change

Our Planet and Climate Change is a post from: Sports Health Exercise

If you wait until the kids are back in school, after your vacation, when the economy gets better, when your schedule opens up, or when a pill comes out that can make you fit while you sit on the couch – stop waiting! (Unless you are a mouse – see below!).

There isn’t a perfect time to start something new once you are out of sixth grade.

A recent study reported that sedentary mice that were feed a ‘diet pill’ burned more calories and could exercise longer than mice than the control mice. This drug may some day help bedridden patients fight obesity and diabetes, but they are a long away from seeing if these results can some how translate to people.

So health and fitness professionals can relax and not worry about how the next magical product could force them out of a job.

Couch potato’s and exercise haters -join us and come aboard. Give in and get fit, be more active and start the journey to increased energy – today. We’ll help make it easy – stay tuned for quick tips, workouts, activity and sport guides, easy healthier cooking options, recipes and so much more.

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Motivation Directly to your cell phone: Sign up for the Mobile Texts – on the sidebar.

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Why are you Really Putting Off Getting Fit? is a post from: Sports Health Exercise

*Author unknown

Stop wishing and do one thing towards your health and fitness goals TODAY.

 *seen in the Inspired Athlete Calendar

Daily Kick in the Butt: is a post from: Sports Health Exercise

Always try to put a time frame on all ‘To-Do’ items on your list. Schedule your ‘To-Do’ ideas out the evening before you have them scheduled. If going for a walk, taking an exercise class or playing tennis is on your To-Do list without a time attached to it is has a much greater chance of never getting done. 

Schedule your healthy To-Do’s for tomorrow, right now. You will have more time to focus on each task as it comes up and less stress in trying to “find the time to fit everything in your busy day”!

A ‘Done’ is another step forward on the path to a healthier life!

Daily Kick in the Butt: How to get a To-Do item — Done is a post from: Sports Health Exercise

Inspirational story YOU need to read! Everyone can Make A Difference… is a post from: Sports Health Exercise