With this week's elections behind us, and consumers banding together to make change in the banking industry, one thing we can be sure of is that knowledge coupled with action is POWER for CHANGE. This philosophy can be applied to changing your body as well. The problem, however,  is that we are in the midst of the Information Diarrhea Age. (Excuse the graphic, but you get my point.) If you Google virtually any key word, you are bound to get at least 1 million hits.

The health and fitness industry is notorious for information overload. There is a new Ab Rocker, Builder, Firmer, Stretcher released every day, not to mention the latest oatmeal and pickle diet. (No, that one isn't real - I hope.) How can one get the knowledge they need to create change in their bodies?

The first thing to do is stop watching every infomercial that guarantees results in no time with little or no effort. That's a lie, plain and simple. The best advice is to find an eating and exercise plan that works for you and STICK WITH IT. Consistency is your ally.

Here are a few tips to get you moving in the right direction:

1. Keep junk out of your kitchen. Don't test your will power. You will lose.

2. You plan to fail if you fail to plan your meals. Leave nothing to chance.

3. Drink half your body weight in ounces of water everyday. Period. Just do it. 

4. Refined sugar is the enemy. Seek and destroy its presence in your life.

5. If you don't sleep, don't expect your body to change.

6. You can't eat too many veggies. Go ahead and try. 

7. I repeat, sugar is the enemy. 

8. You MUST do some strength training. Trust me on this.

9. Break a sweat from physical exertion for at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week. That's actual sweating time. Warm-ups and cool downs don't count.

10. Do #1-9 repeatedly and watch your body and your health change for the better!