&quot;This Year I Will... Lose Weight&quot;.(HEALTHY LIVING: mind. body. spirit;2010 HEALTHY LIVING GUIDE; fit &amp; fab).

weight-loss-tips, originally uploaded by michael.seth.

FIND INSPIRATION HERE

Make Money a Motivator

"With our treadmill collecting dust, my sister, mother and I fell into a workout slump. I came up with a fitness jar as a way to get us moving. For each workout missed, we put in a dollar. For every additional day we work out, we get to take a dollar."

--Kimberley McLeod, 22, Brooklyn

Don't Go It Alone

"I walk with two coworkers at lunch or we do workout videos in a meeting room."

--Cheryl Arnold, 40, Fayetteville NC

Uncover Your Passion

"A rewarding and fun workout was a must. So I went to The P Spot in Washington, D.C., for classes such as body-licious, strip aerobics and chair work three times a week. By exercising and changing my eating habits, I lost 15 pounds last year."

--Paula Allen, 48, Upper Marlboro MD

Go to a Pro

"I didn't want to enter the next decade of my life with 50 extra pounds. Because I'm always on the go, I began to use the eDiets weekly meal delivery to help me eat fresh and healthy food. It starts at less than 20 bucks a day. With walking, I've lost 32 pounds."

--Linda Dixon, 60, Cincinnati

BREAK OUT OF A RUT

"A hugely motivating boot camp instructor helped me add 35 pounds to my weight loss."

--Alicia Harkless, 25, Troy AL

"I hit three plateaus before losing 100-plus pounds. To get to my goal, I tweaked my diet by eating breakfast for dinner. I wanted my body not to expect an egg-white omelet and turkey sausage in the morning. I also added plyometrics like jump squats with my cardio and weight training."

--Chaunda Walls, 42, Lawrenceville GA

"Making a list of unhealthy foods I loved (like milk shakes) and a list of healthy ones I could replace them with (like protein shakes) helped me keep off 142 pounds."

--Alicia Ash, 38, Columbus GA

"I promised God I would get healthy for my 4-year-old son, and I'm not turning back. I've lost 67 pounds so far by eating right."

--Alicia Cross McDonald, 42, Bowie MD

SET SMART GOALS

Don't Get Caught Up on Weight

"Strive to lose inches," says Rita Beckford, M.D., spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise. Getting your waist-line down to 35 inches or less can help to fight heart disease and diabetes.

Identify Your Incentive

"Jot down three specific ways slimming down will improve your life," advises fitness expert Andrea Riggs, CEO of Body Beautiful. Will it help you avoid some forms of cancer? Save on wardrobe expenses? Increase your confidence? Figure out the benefits, and you'll bask in the rewards.

CHEAP WORKOUTS IN YOUR 'HOOD!

Get free or discounted passes for everything from kickboxing classes to Pilates studios to dance instruction at clubs near you by going to gymticket.com or health-fitness.org/passbook.html.

"Photograph your meal. Some people don't realize how much they're eating until they see it."

--SOUTH CAROLINA TRAINER KENYA CROOKS

Source Citation
Gilliam, Stacy. "'This Year I Will... Lose Weight'." Essence Jan. 2010: 108. Academic OneFile. Web. 27 Dec. 2009. .

Gale Document Number:A213519764

Disclaimer:This information is not a tool for self-diagnosis or a substitute for professional care.