The Beginning

I am the average American. I work too much, over eat, lose weight, gain weight, and complain about my body. Six months ago I turned 30. I hated the thought of reaching this milestone in my life because to me it signified the beginning of being old. The beginning of wrinkles, more aches and pains and a harder time keeping the weight off. I still don't like 30 and I'm not looking forward to getting any older, but rather than mope about it, I have been thinking about all the other people who struggle with their weight and appearance as I do. I have been thinking about all the stupid yo-yo diets and shake weight ridiculousness that we see in the media all the time. Recently I have been seeing a lot of "The Best AB Workout" and "Lose the Weight in 2 Weeks" pins on Pinterest. Which one works? Should I bother to try any of them or are they all a ploy to make money?

I feel that I have an advantage over a lot of people when it comes to knowledge about fitness. I have been a dance instructor since the age of 16. I've worked in a gym, made friends with fitness professionals and work in a studio that promotes health and wellness. When you work in this kind of environment, it is very easy to want to live a healthier lifestyle and to pick up tips along the way. I've learned about what gluten does to some people's body, how eating organic foods could effect our health in the long run, and the list goes on. For those that work or live in a place that isn't as health conscious, making good choices can be a lot harder.

This blog is going to be a lot of things, but the very first thing it will be is a Reality Check. I am going to find out what workouts work and which ones don't. I will weigh, measure and record my progress with all of the workouts I try. I will post pictures so you can see what the workouts do, or if they do nothing at all. The pictures are my own Reality Check---there is no hiding behind clothes--the ugliness will be exposed. This is my incentive to make myself the best I can be. This journey will begin on Monday, January 7th and I am really excited to share this with everyone who will watch!
-J