Fitness Starts in the Kitchen

As a fitness instructor, this is the time of year I dread. The mid-part of February when so many people give up going to the gym.

I think I know what happens. Or really, what doesn’t happen: instant weight-loss.

If you joined the gym this New Year and have been working out consistently, I have to ask you something: Did you remember that fitness starts in the kitchen?

It’s not an easy thing to talk about. Nobody likes change, especially when it comes to their food. But if you really want your time on the treadmill and the hours you spend lifting weights to mean something, you have to think about what you eat. Exercise and eating nutritious meals work wonders for weight-loss when you do them concurrently.

Personally, I think motivating myself to the gym for a heart-pumping cardio workout is a lot easier than saying no to the chocolate chip cookies cooling on my kitchen counter. (They’re a treat for the kids.)

When I talk to people at the gym where I work, I realize that most of them just don’t know what they should be eating. That’s why it’s so important to learn about nutrition and seek advice from a professional who’s qualified to give it, not  – ahem – a magazine that promises amazing abs in 14 days.

Alice Warchol is a freelance health blog writer and fitness instructor.

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