Today, I have a story that will hopefully change your mindset if you are one of those people who thinks it is SO HARD to live in a healthy manner and still enjoy your life. You CAN do this, without eating a diet consisting of rice cakes and berries and living at your local gym.
Meet Carol. No, this is not about me. Carol has been slowly incorporating small changes in her life for about a year. She has found her “happy place” with food and fitness and loves to share her tips with co-workers and friends. Even her non-compliant husband has made some changes! There are apparently more couples that are split on this issue than I thought.
Carol’s BIG WHY: She wanted to keep dancing. She has taken ballet for years and 
it was getting tough. Her weight and energy were not ideal. She knew that if she didn’t do something different, she’d have to hang up her ballet shoes permanently. Sad, and motivating. Lesson: You need a BIG WHY to take a stand for your health. What is yours?
She began by implementing protein shakes for breakfast, Monday through Friday. Lesson: Start your day with some form of protein.
The snack monster shows up at her desk around 10AM and 3PM. The Skittles were eventually dumped for apples or other fruit. When she needs a chocolate fix, she has a homemade protein bar or a glass of chocolate almond milk with peanut butter powder added. Lesson: Be prepared for those times when you need energy.
She had a fierce Mountain Dew addiction that kept her sipping throughout the day to the tune of three 2-liter bottles per week. YIKES! She is now down to one bottle per week and drinks water. Lesson: Switching out your sugary drinks for water is significant, and a great first step.
Her lunches are chicken (she cooks in the crock pot for the week), and a salad. Dinners are some protein done on the grill, a vegetable and maybe potato or some other starch. Lesson: You don’t have to be a great chef or spend tons of time in the kitchen to eat well. 
Her fitness routine: Ballet fit, which is similar to Pilates, belly dancing, walking her dog and Zumba. Her fitbit typically reads between 10,000 and 20,000 steps per day. She suggests you get one because it is addictive! (Better than the Mountain Dew.) Lesson: You do not need to join a gym or do activities you hate to be fit. DO WHAT YOU LOVE!
The best part: Twice a month she eats fast food because she really enjoys it. Taco Bell and McDonald’s are her “fast food go-to spots.” Sometimes she eats pizza with her family and has a cookie. She doesn’t eat the whole pizza or a handful of cookies, and she does not feel deprived. Lesson: It’s about the balance. 
Measurable statistics: She has gone from 155 pounds to 136 pounds, lost 2 inches around her mid-section and lost weight in her thighs. She has maintained this for months. If she “cheats” a bit too much, it is easy for her to get back on track and return to her “happy place.”
Thank you, Carol, for allowing me to share your journey. I loved it when you told me you could wear a smaller belly dancing costume. Smile. May your story be an inspiration to others.
“Practice ONE new habit at a time until it becomes your way of life, a life that is filled with abundance… and your favorite dancing shoes.” — Carol Slager
