We all have our favorite excuses.

I am about 5'7" and my ideal weight is about 130 lbs. I was 133 lbs. when I got married. I gained about 30 lbs. with each of my pregnancies. I lost 15 lbs. after giving birth and quickly gained 5 back. Does that story sound familiar to any of you? You may not share my "stats", but I'll wager a guess that many of you moms out there have experienced something similar. Some of you men out there probably gained a few pounds after your kids were born too - am I right? ;)

I am a personal trainer. A pretty good one too. So, of all people, why did it take me almost 2 years to get back to "normal" after each pregnancy? Simple. Though I did not lack the tools and knowledge to lose weight, my circumstances had changed dramatically and so had my body. We all have our favorite excuses! Those are mine.

Today was a great day for me. I finally broke into the 130's again. Yep. I'm officially 139lbs today. Whether you think that an accomplishment or not, what it means to me is that I've finally found my motivation. Wanna find yours?

In a world where shows like "Biggest Loser" and "America's Next Top Model" get thrown in our faces on a regular basis, we tend to get the impression that we either have to go to extremes to shed some poundage: starve or have someone scream obscenities in face on a daily basis. Nope. It's a lie - as is most "reality" TV, but that's another blog . . .

First you have to know what your LONG TERM GOAL is. Five pounds? Twenty pounds? One hundred? Figure it out and put it in your head. On your fridge, steering wheel, toilet seat - I don't care, just know what it is and put it in front of you.

Second, have a TIME FRAME. When do you want to get that weight off? If it's 5 lbs, you can do it in about 3 weeks. (You could do it in a week, but we're talking about keeping it off aren't we??) If it's 50, 75, 100? You're probably looking at 6 to 18 months. Be realistic with yourself.

Third, what's your SHORT TERM GOAL? How much do you want to lose each week? If you're only trying to lose about 15 lbs, 1 to 2 lbs/week is realistic. If you're heavier, you'll find that you can lose five or more pounds/week with just small changes to your routine. As you become more fit, you may notice that your weight loss slows down. Don't be alarmed, even if you plateau (don't lose weight for a few weeks). You'll probably just need to change some things in your routine to continue to see progress.

WRITE UP A CONTRACT between yourself and someone else: a spouse, a work-out partner, your personal trainer, etc. Sign it and put it somewhere you can see it. Make it known to some close friends and family. Put people on your side so that they don't become the devil on your shoulder. Loved ones can sometimes be your worst enemy if they think it's a passing "phase" you're in. Tell them you're serious and ask for their support.

KEEP THINGS SIMPLE and START SLOWLY. Some personal trainers may disagree with me on this one, but with my physical therapy background, I've found that the tortoise really does win the race. If you're going to make a "life change" you have to do it gradually, otherwise you're setting yourself up for failure. If you have to start with daily goals, then weekly goals, monthly and so on. When you know you've mastered one obstacle, you know you can overcome the second, etc. It may take longer to reach your goal, but no one knows you better than YOU. On that note: DON'T SELL YOURSELF SHORT.

Here are a few things that I've applied to myself this time around:

1. NO soda! Limit juice and high calorie drinks - why drink your calories? If this is a big one for you - work ONLY on this goal for about 3 weeks. Drink lots of water. You'll find that just cutting out high calorie drinks may help you shed a few pounds.

2. No "seconds" and take home left-overs when you go out. You don't have to finish what's on your plate. Easy on the salad dressing too! :)

3. Try not to eat anything after dinner. I've tried to close the kitchen around 7pm. If you work late, just try to have a lighter dinner - take some snacks (healthy ones!) to work so that you're not ravenous when you get home.

4. Only eat sweets/baked goods on the weekends. Again, some personal trainers would disagree with me on this one and tell you to cut them out completely. I practically grew up in my parent's restaurant and I LOVE FOOD. I also love chocolate. I'm not going to be miserable every time I eat. I refuse. I've just learned to make better choices and savor the good stuff on the weekends . . . in moderation.

5. SNACK. If you have small, healthy snacks (i.e. 1/2 protein bar, apple, etc) at work or at home in-between meals, you won't consume as much when you have lunch and dinner.

6. INCREASE YOUR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. That's a whole blog post in itself of course . . . leave your email if you need help with that one!

7. If you have children: don't eat what's left on their plates!

OK. So now you're thinking, "A FEW things Kristi?! Sheesh! Who is this woman?" Really. Start slowly. You don't have to do all of these things at once! Start with your goals and your contract and then build upon that foundation. Take your time. Believe me, after doing it the other way around, this is what works. If you need someone to email you every now and again, let me know - a lot of you are on facebook so I can contact you through there if necessary.

If you don't want to do it, you're not going to. It's simple. If you're ready however, I can help.

P.S. Part of my difficulties in losing weight right after my pregnancies was also due to a Vitamin D deficiency and other hormonal imbalances due to having children. I am now working with an endocrinologist to balance things out. If you feel you have "side-affects" (don't we all? :-/ ) post pregnancy, you should talk to your doctor.