Kick-Starting Your Diet

Intro by Laurie Epps

My new fitness routine is going pretty well, although, all good workouts have the support of an equally good diet. What we eat is not just fuel, but it can be the difference between feeling good during your workout, or feeling sluggish or just not too good during your workout. If your goal is to lose weight, then it's essential that your food intake goes hand in hand with your fitness regime. If you're a beginner, that's ok. I started with working out due to the ease for me, since diets seem especially daunting. If you're the opposite, and choose to start with your diet, that's ok. The import thing is that you start the journey to better health. 

Please welcome Cathy Baker, my friend and fellow writer who's going to talk to us today about her first days on her diet. I hope you'll give her the same attention that you'd offer up to me.

Me & Bike #2

By Laurie Epps

At a Birthday Party on May 22, 2015

My second week, I did extremely well. I went to the gym 5 times that week. I wasn't really following a specific outline of a workout yet. I was just trying to do half an hour of cardio, and then five machines in thirty minutes. I alternated upper body with lower body exercises. 

By that Monday, I'd lost another two pounds, and then another pound. So now, I'm up to seven pounds of weight loss! I couldn't be more delighted. I'm heading in the right direction, won't you join me?

Today, I saw on Facebook that my cousin Kay has lost 90 pounds! Wow! I'm so proud of her. I'm begging her to write a blog post for me, but she's in the throws of moving. I think she'd be a great inspiration for all of us. Kudos, Kay!

Me on Bike #2

The Real Kick-off Week

May 17, 2015: At My Great Godsons Dedication

By Laurie Epps

I'm finally doing it! I'm making it to the gym almost every day. The first week, I went 5 days that week. My efforts are rewarding me with immediate weight loss. I'm not going to bust 300 pounds, and I couldn't be more delighted. Much easier than I thought it would be, I'm making new friends, and I'm feeling much better about myself. 

Already, I've noticed that I walk a little taller when I enter a room, and it looks like my unwanted tummy is dropping. If you're in that dark place that I was in, you might be intimidated by the gym, or going it alone.... don't be. Your friends and like minded people are at the gym.

I know that the gym may not be feasible or palatable for a lot of folks, so today, I'm going to talk about the best reasons to strive to get in shape.

New Column: Workout Wednesdays

Pictured at my friend Faye's Wedding in 1988

By Laurie Epps

I wasn't always heavy. I didn't start out this way. Most of the people in my family aren't heavy either. But this is my story. I know I'm not the only woman out there that has fought this battle. This column is meant to be encouragement for the people that struggle with some of the issues in regards to weight loss.

The picture at the right, most people would consider me to be in my best shape. I ran marathons, did martial arts, participated in triathlons, and practiced ballet. I've danced with both the Atlanta Ballet, and the San Diego Ballet. But I was also malnourished and very sick in this picture. I had anorexia. I weighed in at a whopping 112 pounds, and it was waif like on my 6'0" tall frame. Yet, I looked in the mirror and I saw a fatso. I couldn't exercise enough, and I couldn't eat too little.

A Year after having my second baby in 1997