When it comes to getting in shape, it’s important to find a groove that works for you. I say this because I spent years (quite literally) trying every workout, diet and combination thereof. Here’s what I’ve found: you have to do some sort of cardio…but if you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, you won’t stick with it. I’ve tried just about everything from kickboxing to step aerobics, and the only cardio that I seem to be able to stick to is running. Now, I’ve only been running since 
last December, but I’m completely addicted to it. I love the runner’s high that you always hear about! Some days are harder than others, but I keep going back. I started running by following the Couch to 5K running program at www.coolrunning.com. I absolutely loved the fact that every week is mapped out for you. There’s no guessing involved! I actually have been running 5K races since finishing the program, and am currently working on One Hour Runner, which you can find at http://www.runnergirlsindia.com/ohr.php. I also signed myself up for a 10K in June…we’ll see how that goes! LOL Okay, now to the point: if you enjoy what you’re doing, you are FAR more likely to stick with it! I have been running for over 6 months, and I still look forward to my running days…that alone makes me want to keep it up!!
I think that the same principle applies to strength training…I’ve run the gammut here, too. Spending hours in the gym, both on the machines and with free weights. I’ve found that I prefer to have variety here, too. Some days I want a gym-style workout. On those days, I reach for Jari Love. She gives great instruction and you really feel the workout the next day. Other days, I prefer to do some serious lower body toning…those days I usually pull out my step and FIRM workouts. Lately, I’ve been more intrigued with isometrics, O-lifts and kettlebells. I’m absolutely addicted to Kettlenetics, and cannot believe the changes that I’m seeing in my body from 
the kettlebell workouts. I have the Kettlenetics set, and then I supplement those workouts with some more traditional kettlebell videos (Gin Miller and Kettlebell Bootcamp). I really enjoy the fluid motion, I think. AND the kettlebells are a totally different type of strength training from gym-style weights. Now, I’ve also been doing P.I.N.K. Fitness, which incorporates Olympic-style lifting to help sculpt your body. And you’re only using a 5 pound bar! In addition to doing kettlebells and P.I.N.K., I’ve also been doing barre workouts at least 3 nights a week. I love the stretching aspect that comes with these workouts. AND I think that it’s helping get rid of my saddlebags!! YAY! 
As you can probably tell, I have a little bit of Attention Deficit Disorder when it comes to workouts. I think that it’s good to have choices, and have choices that you enjoy. There will be mornings that you wake up and don’t feel like swinging around a 10 pound kettlebell, and mornings when you just feel like having a good stretch.
If you can’t already tell, I workout at home. I have found that I am more motivated if my exercise equipment is sitting in my front room. I feel guilty just sitting on the couch, so I workout instead. I’ve had gym memberships, and they just don’t seem to be enough motivation. Inevitably, I think that it’s the drive to and from the gym that gets me. I feel like it’s a waste of time. So I have alot of home-based workout programs that keep it interesting.
The last thing that I wanted to touch on is diet. You have to find something that will work for you LONG TERM. Health is not about dieting. Diet’s DON’T work! They always fail. So, make a concious lifestyle change that you can live with. I’ve tried every fad diet out there, from Medifast to Nutrisystem to Weigh Watchers. The one thing that I keep coming back to is www.sparkpeople.com. It’s a great resource for nutrition and exercise information as well as support. It has a great nutrition tracker, and you are working on counting calories, rather than Points.
Your diet needs to be something that you can stick with through the long haul…and it needs to nourish your body. I’ve chosen to take the vegetarian route, but you must find something that you enjoy, because if you don’t love what you eat, you’ll end up unhappy with your diet, and that will lead to an unhealthy lifestyle all around.
