10 steps to get you started on the road to fitness!

1. You are awesome!  YOU made the decision to do something.  Your something may be entirely different than mine.  Who cares! The # 1 thing you need to recognize is that you are here because you made that choice!  From now on, you will make many choices. Remember THIS choice.  Stay focused on THIS CHOICE!
2. Look in the mirror.  You see that person.  Tell that person that no matter what, no matter how many times you fall down, no matter how long it takes, you will not quit.  I mean it. Make that promise to you. Because the person that made that decision in #1 deserves your commitment for being brave and strong enough to do so.  
3. Take a picture now...today, this week.  A full body picture.  Take several. You don't have to show them to anybody.  I promise you, you will be sorely disappointed if you don't force yourself take some pictures now.  When the bad days come, and they will; you will need these pictures to remind you, motivate you, and quite possibly...motivate others. Don't believe me?  Go look at the success stories and come back and tell me that those people's stories don't help inspire you to reach for your goals.  That will be you one day.  Yes...YOU!
4. Get a new digital scale that measures in .02 lb or kg increments. Get a GOOD one.  An accurate scale that doesn't fluctuate will help keep your tracking honest and true.  This is very important for your mental well being.  A few words about Scales. They are NOT the ONLY measurement of progress.  But few would disagree that when the number on the scale goes down, they don't feel pleased.  Hate the scale?  So did I.  Notice I said DID.  
5. Get a measuring tape and take HONEST measurements.  At a minimum measure your neck, your bust/chest, waist, and hips. I don't care how big those numbers are...Write them down.  When the measurement in #4 is not cooperating to your expectations, keeping track with a measuring tape just might show a different story.  
6. Exercise.  Yeah, I said it.  Can you lose weight without exercise?  Absolutely!  I have!  I bet you have too at one time or another.  So why do you need to exercise? You know why.  Remember #1?  That person is ready to do something.  You will have a really hard and much longer road ahead of you if you refuse to exercise.  How much?  I can't tell you that.  My something is different than yours. My body is different, my fitness level is different.  What I can tell you is that it doesn't have to be a triathlon! Just move!  Walk,Skip, Do big arm circles, bike, step, dance, garden, mow, jog, swim, ski...do something.  You need to get your heart rate up.  Try to do it for at least 20 mins.  Try to do it 3 times a week.  You might find it interesting to note that FOOD is the most widely abused anti-anxiety drug in America. EXERCISE is the most potent and under-utilized antidepressant...nothing will heal your blues like exercise.
7. Make goals.  If you don't make a goal, you have nothing to aim at.  Avoid unrealistic goals. "I will lose 100lbs in a month!" is an obviously unrealistic goal.  "I will lose 100 lbs!", IS a realistic goal.  So long as you follow #2.   Make long range goals AND short range goals.  "I will do an activity that gets my heart rate up for 20 mins today" is a realistic short range goal. 
8. Share your goal.  If you share your goal with others, it is a mental commitment to achieve that goal.  I promise you, people here will CHEER you on as you work towards your goals.  It is very rewarding to watch each other attain personal achievements they never thought possible.  You will cherish the feeling of setting a tough but realistic goal and then attaining it.  
9. Encourage others!  We all need a little pick me up now and again.  Feeling down?  Feel like giving up?  I promise you, there is someone here worse off than you.  They have a longer road a head of them. They have more ailments, more whatever.  Encourage them!  They need you as much as you need them.  
10. Log.  Log everything.  Food, water, alcohol, soda, exercise, log it all! If you don't log you have no way to go back and evaluate trends.  What triggers you?  What foods are you eating more of? What could you change to help improve?  Self reflection on your eating habits is essential if you are to have long term success.  Will you have to log for ever?  I don't know.  I might have to.  You?  Maybe not.  The important thing is to be fanatical about it.  Get a smart phone and down load the MFP app.   The bar scanner is a huge time saver!  And if you have your smart phone, you have NO EXCUSE to not log everything you do.

This is by no means an all inclusive list of things to do, but if you do them, you will be well on your way! You CAN DO IT!