Today at the gym there was someone new. Since I work out at 5 a.m. and see the same people every day, it is easy to spot a new person. This girl definitely stood out because she was ripped. Her muscle definition was awesome. Boy, I wish I looked like that.

Protein, protein, protein. It seems like so much advice out there tells us to eat more protein if we want to lose weight. This is actually great advice, but some of the articles make my eyes glaze over with all the technical reasons for WHY.

I recently read an article on Fitbie.com that explained the ins and outs of protein, and you don’t have to have a masters in nutrition to understand it.

Spring time. The best time of the year. Warmer weather, flowers in bloom, spring time fashion, etc.; but for some there is a lot of anxiety that comes with spring – wearing skirts and shorts, going sleeveless, and bathing suits right around the corner.

The brain cannot see or hear - it only reacts to the information that you feed it. Positive affirmations are your brain’s way of redirecting your body’s energy to keep you motivated. Negative affirmations like: “I am always tired” or “I can’t ever do anything right” only serve to reinforce negative energy and stand in the way of your progress.

A surprising challenge for people who are moving toward a healthier lifestyle and changing their eating habits is peer pressure... or the perception of it. We fear drawing attention to our healthy eating habits, especially as many of those around us are still overweight, pigging out, or making choices for themselves that are not good choices.