It's A New Year which brings New Opportunities!

Yay! It's 2014 and I'm so super excited to see what all we can accomplish together this year in the name of Heart Health! It is NEVER too late to start living heart healthy and I hope that you make that very important choice to get healthy this year! Not just for yourself but for your family and friends as well!

Did you know what we do affects those around us? Whether it be our actions, our words or our habits! So when you decide to start eating healthy and exercising guess what, your friends and family may finally have the courage to do the same! Lead by example! It's not always easy to stick to the new plan since bad habits take time to break but never give up. If you fail your diet by eating something not part of the meal plan, don't just think you have ruined your plans and quit trying, just make a better choice at your next meal. Giving up should never be an option! Get a partner that you can be accountable to and encourage one another to keep up the good work!

Now, starting an exercise plan can also be hard to know where to begin. I would say start with your health care professional. Go to your doctor and get a physical. Share with him/her your health goals and together you can put a game plan in place. You never should jump in this alone. There is always someone that can help you get started on your journey to a healthy lifestyle.

Keep a journal! It is super helpful to write down what you eat and when you exercise. You can even find an app on your smart phone where you can log in your meals, track your weight and the calories you have taken in for that day. It is so much easier to keep track of your progress when you can see it.

Changing your eating habits and cooking healthy was probably the most challenging part for me when we made the choice to live heart healthy. I grew up where we ate just about anything and more than likely it was fried. While fried food can be very yummy, find ways to make your favorite meals with a little modification in your ingredients and the way you cook it. It can be done! Bake, Grill or Roast it! Those are the healthiest ways to cook your food! Go to www.goredforwomen.org and you can find all kinds of healthy recipes and you can shop in the online store for cookbooks as well!

I believe in you and I know that if we all work together we can make the changes we need to keep our heart and body healthy! Just Never Ever Give Up! With a positive and determined attitude You Can And Will accomplish YOUR GOALS!  Go For It!!!!