Radiant Fitness - Secret Sure-fire way to lose weight

DURHAM -- Want to know the sure-fire way to lose
weight? Here it is: Structure exercise into your
lifestyle.

I know. NOT sexy. NOT the answer you wanted. For
weight-loss success and long-term maintenance,
however, only regular exercise works.

Make no mistake -- I would never minimize the
importance of healthy eating. Even if you follow the
healthiest diet, however, your metabolism will slow
and your waistline will grow without regular exercise.

Must you quit your job, sell your children and Sweat to the Oldies four hours each day? No. You just
have to pick up your calendar -- be it a Palm Pilot or a sweaty palm -- and tuck bits of exercise
throughout your week (preferably at least two hours sprinkled in evenly through the next 168).

Can you fit half an exercise video in Tuesday morning before your shower? Can you walk for 15 minutes
during your Thursday lunch hour? Got an hour Saturday between Mom Shuttle stops? That's plenty of
time for a 30-minute workout at the gym.

Make your first date for tomorrow at 9 a.m. Call your doctor and tell her you plan exercise regularly. She'll
tell if you need an appointment before you begin. After your doctor approves, work your plan.

If you pave your calendar with good intentions but find you miss a workout, don't waste time on guilt or
regret. Call a friend instead -- and make an exercise date. In professional jargon this is "creating external
accountability," but you can call it "being sociable." Your partner can even be in Thailand, as long as you
can call or e-mail him most days of the week, tell him about your plans and how your workouts are going.

If the guy in Thailand stops responding or your sister starts skipping your walks, it may be time to call in
the pro. Your gym staff should be happy to set up a reminder system for you. Better yet, set a series of
appointments with a certified fitness trainer to help you structure exercise into your lifestyle, motivate you
and educate you. Trainers take the guesswork out of exercise -- how much, what kind and how often --
so that you can focus on doing the work itself.

Whether you motivate yourself or choose to take advantage of outside help, setting and keeping
exercise appointments is the foundation upon which a healthy, radiant life full of energy is built. Structure
IS sexy -- and you will be, too, if you build it and use it.

Secret
Sure-fire way
to lose weight

By Keri Kaeding
For The Herald-Sun,
Durham, North Carolina
January 11, 2005