Lifestyle & Fitness: Health

Why do you want to do this?

I keep saying that I want to make fitness a lifestyle choice. I am getting closer to accomplishing it all the time, but it sometimes seems that as soon as I just about reach my goal, life and other commitments get in the way, and I keep yo-yoing over the same finish line. Last summer, I made a huge push to lose some weight for a sailing regatta - and I went from 143 lbs to 128, which made me feel terrific. Clothes fit differently, and I carry myself better when I am in shape. Also, I have been an athlete my entire life, and my body just prefers to be in shape. Then, work and the holidays came around, and I am creeping back up again. Nothing serious - yet - but I want to stop the tide before I fall back into my old habits.

What three things will you need to make this happen?

Commit to working out 5 or 6 days a week. My workouts go on my list in the morning, and I need to just do it. No distractions, no meeting a friend for a drink after work -- I can meet them AFTER my 5pm yoga class.

Pay attention to where I cheat. Everyone has a taste for something that is inherently bad for us - my personal vices are salty potato chips and red wine. And so I just have to do it in moderation - and ask myself when I reach for some chips at the store if there is something - like popcorn - that will give me the same feeling with less calories.

Make it tangible. For me, it was easy to lose the weight when I had a day on my calendar when I had to get on a scale in front of a woman with a clipboard. Also, I was doing it for a team. I have a harder time choosing carrot sticks when it's just for me. My solution is to write down my efforts in a journal - and do this for 21 days, which makes it measurable for me. Also, I will be in Las Vegas in February, and I will end up in a bikini by a pool, which is pretty good incentive to go to kickboxing today!!

What is the biggest barrier to your achieving this?

Time. I will be traveling in a few weeks, and when you're at a conference for 10 hours, it's hard to sneak in an hour workout somewhere. That's when I start to slide a bit. (And once I slide, it's easier to justify the next slide). I am hoping that if I make exercise a priority, and strategically plan when to exercise and what to eat when we go to restaurants every night, I can keep myself in check.