Take care of your body, it really is a gift.

For some people this may seem like a no brainer but to others (I'm hoping) this will be a light bulb moment. A healthy lifestyle is about more than just eating the right foods and being active. You really have to watch what you are doing to and putting into your body. Smoking and heavy drinking are OBVIOUSLY a hindrance to maintaining a healthy body. It is true that wine and beer (yes beer) in moderation are proven to lower the risk of heart disease. It is also true that drinking too much affects your liver and fighting addiction is a very long road I know you would rather not travel. Smoking is very much a no-no. I could go on and on and on about the negatives of smoking. Should I have to do this? I would think not but it is very surprising how many clients and participants I have had who are smokers and can't figure out why they are still out of shape and can't breathe during their workout. Uhm, duh.

So let's get to the less obvious things. Caffeine is actually extremely addictive. A lot of people go through withdrawals from caffeine and never know why they are having migraines and muscle cramping. This is a huge cement block to an active body. In moderation, I have no problem with my clients consuming products with caffeine in it. If a cup of coffee in the morning is what you need to get your day started in a happy place, by all means have your cup and drink it too. Coffee in moderation is clinically proven to have benefits. If it's 3pm and you're still relying on coffee to get you through to the end of the work day, that's a PROBLEM. You have just created one more obstacle for your body to overcome before it can get on the road to a healthier lifestyle.

Consuming 'quick fix' products is a HUGE waste of time as well as money and is often very detrimental to your body. Getting your body out of shape probably took years to accomplish. Guess what? Getting back into shape is going to take a long time as well. It isn't and SHOULDN'T happen overnight. Most 'quick fixes' are products that only make you lose body water (hydration for your body, not to mention hydration it needs to function properly). You aren't losing real pounds. The scale may show you took a pill and lost 5 pounds but tomorrow you are going to wake up with those 5 pounds and probably a couple more added on. Keep that crap out of your body. It's pointless, and stupid.
And for the love of God stop tanning in tanning beds. Tanning is just as stupid as smoking. It really, truly is.

All this to say, if you are really serious about living a healthy lifestyle just stop and think about what you are doing to your body before you do something. A little brain power goes a long ways when it comes to long term health.