In addition to at least 30 minutes of cardio a day and various weight-bearing exercises, stretches, ab routines, and machines, walking is an enjoyable activity for me. Living in New York, I get plenty of that kind of exercise walking to and from the subway and other forms of public transportation, also walking to appointments, erands, you name it. In suburbia, it might be harder to get all those steps in, but even when you drive everywhere, you can make a point of taking a brisk walk around a track or park for 20 or 30 minutes. I've heard that many people walk in shopping malls and park the car far from the entrance to the store.

But what do you when you're deskbound all day? You can do butt squeezes, back stretches, and tricep swing-backs. There are also yoga-like stretches for us office-bound geeks. One of the best things you can do is get up frequently and walk around and of course, get out at lunchtime or in the afternoon. On the weekends when I have more time, I often walk to my destinations even if they are 20 or more blocks away.

Yesterday, I found some interesting facts in the results of a Cooking Light study that came out earlier this week. The study found that 70% of American adults drink lower fat milk instead of whole milk compared to 52% in 2003 when the magazine conducted a similar study; 59% eat chicken with the skin off (41% in 2003); 54% take vitamins (37%); 52% use lower fat alternatives when cooking (44%); and 51% read nutrition labels on food (43%). The study also notes that one-third of American adults are obese and 64.5 percent are considered overweight.

But even more startling, the study found that only 6% of Americans get 30 minutes of exercise a day, the amount recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It found that only 19% of American adults walk or bike instead of taking transportation (39% in 2003); 41% take the stairs whenever possible (49%);and 33% regularly park their cars farther from their destination to get in extra walking (32%).

And here's another finding to ponder: Less than half of Americans (45%), understand that in order to lose 1 pound, you have to burn 3,500 calories more than you eat; and nearly nine in 10 (86%) think the USDA recommends 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity 3 to 4 days a week, when it recommends 30 minutes of vigorous activity every day.

To supplement and help maintain my fitness routine, I see Paula Rivera, a trainer with New York Sports Clubs once a week. I mentioned her in one of my first posts as being a major influence in my drive to stay fit and motivated. Paula is a kind, funny, smart, and talented person. I really like her and now that I've been at it for a bit, I enjoy our sessions.

A classically trained ballet dancer, Paula is positive and motivating even in the face of my objections. Believe me when I say that when I first started with her in late September 2005, there were plenty. (If she's reading this, she is probably having a good laugh). There were plenty of grimaces, complaints, excuses, and generally bratty behavior. I would try to get away with less repetitions and she would always give me a certain look and a smile and exclaim in a semi-scolding tone: "Tobi, come on...."

I think this is normal when you find something hard. The activities she gave me were very hard at first but she encouraged me at every turn. She listened, smiled, understood, and motivatd me. She shared her own diet tips with me about breakfast and meals. Her suggestion to switch from Luna bars (the lowest calorie Luna I found was 180) to Kashi Go Lean Chocolate Caramel Crunch bars (150 calories) was terrific. I am now buying them by the box though I still love my Lunas, especially Lemon Zest, Chai, and Key Lime.

Over time, Paula has suggested various classes I might take advantage of at the gym to supplement my training and even a belly dancing class outside the gym that she heard might be worth checking out. Of course, she takes ballet and modern dance classes, as well as doing bikram yoga (hot yoga), pursuing her own training, and workouts to keep her in shape for auditions, workshops, and performances. A dancer's life is spent keeping the body in top condition and she spends up to six hours a day doing just that for herself. I connect with that kind of energy -- all that striving, goal-setting, and pushing oneself to the limit.

Last summer, Paula danced in a ballet boot camp in Portland, Oregon for three weeks. In the coming weeks, she's set to pursue an open call audition in Montreal for a dance company and also one in the midwest. She wants to be ready for anything. Think "A Chorus Line" and the lyrics, "God I hope I get it, I really hope I get it. How many people does he need? I really need this job. Please god, I need this job. I've got to get this job," and you get the picture. One of her most fascinating jobs was working as a dancer on a cruise ship. She told me stories about the "booby" deck where women sunned themselves topless.

This past Saturday morning before our appointment, I did 20 minutes on the cardio wave machine, then segued to our hour-long session. She had a special birthday tiara ready for me and pins to hold it on. I declined since I thought it might deter from the workout or fall off. We did alternating step-ups to a bench, squat rows on the cable machine, arm pulls on the rope, pushups ("don't sink!"), squat jumps, chest presses, and other moves. Each workout is a bit different and to Paula's credit, she mixes it up just enough that I don't get bored. Yet the routines and exercises are familiar enough to me by now that I know how to approach them and perform them with the correct form.

It was my birthday on Saturday and I hosted a small dinner for eight, including myself. It was nearly 70 degrees in New York that day and I debated whether to make a picnic supper. I decided against that approach, opened all the windows in my apartment and turned on the oven.

Here's what I made:

A lovely pork roast rubbed in fennel fronds, minced garlic, Kosher salt, black pepper, a bit of olive oil, and freshly grated nutmeg. I blanched fennel stems and organized them on the roast and in the shallow roasting pan 20 minutes before the roast was done.

A roast chicken rubbed with Herbs de Provence, garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil. I filled its cavity filled with onions, garlic, and celery.

A green salad with grape tomatoes and red onion and Herbs de Provence; I made a champagne vingarette dressing.

I made a traditional French tarte tatin in a cast iron skillet. I always enjoy making this dessert which consists of carmelizing Granny Smith apples in butter and sugar and topping the mixture with a simple pastry.

My friend brought homemade creamed spinach and a pecan pie.

We had three different kinds of cheeses, whole wheat pita breads, flat breads, olives, smoked salmon, tomatoes, baby carrots, and celery.

There was plenty of wine. Everyone had a great time.

This was not necessarily a diet meal but you could argue it was healthy: Salad and chicken and pork, "the other white meat", are just fine in small portions. I indulged in everything in moderation and didn't deny myself the wonderful desserts and wine. After all, it was my birthday, plus I knew I would either go for a run or a walk the next day, or go to the gym.

With a sink full of dirty dishes, I went to the gym on Sunday morning to do 35 minutes of cardio, followed by abs exercises, then free weights. I had the time, so I stayed for more than an hour.

Eat, drink, have a great time, then move your body.

Breakfast. It's good and important. I like it but I don't always have time for it. And I'm not always hungry for it. I usually eat it in bits and stages. Since I typically work out in the mornings, I really need breakfast. I crave it or something especially after the gym.

Here's my breakfast on the weekdays:

Coffee with skim milk, no sugar. (Coffee's not optional for me. I make

the first cup or two in a french press at home).

A cup and a half of plain/non-fat yogurt mixed with a raisin nut mix

of sunflower and pumpkin seeds, almonds, and soy nuts. Sometimes more,

sometimes less.

A banana, sometimes two (or an apple and a bananna)

A Kashi Go Lean chocolate caramel crunch bar, 150 calories, eaten in

stages through the morning. I break off bits and pieces of the bar.

A piece of cheese sometimes.

Water

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On weekends, sometimes I make a bowl of steel cut oatmeal with a tiny bit of brown sugar sprinkled on top. I eat in two stages separated by an hour or more.

Or,

Plain, unsweetened yogurt mixed with raisins, soy nuts, etc.

Cheese

Coffee

A Kashi bar
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I always have coffee before I head to the gym, at least a few swigs, and a few bites of yogurt or a couple of pieces of a Kashi bar for energy.
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Yesterday while on the elliptical, I saw Denise Austin, the renowned fitness expert on Imus and the Morning on MSNBC. She's 50, has two teenage daughters, and doesn't look a day over 30. I remember Denise in the 1980s on TV promoting her fitness plans. She is as natural as they come.

When Imus asked her how much exercise she recommends, she said 30 minutes of cardio at least three times a week. She talked about women and belly fat and how to blast it. She even explains why you need to keep eating carbs. Denise has some great videos and tips on AOL Diet & Fitness under the "Coaches" tab. Check it out.

Okay, so I went back to work yesterday after six business days off bookended by long weekends extended by Christmas and New Year's Day. It's hard getting back to work and incorporating my fitness routine and the right kind of eating. Boy, is it ever!

Post-holiday, I found several more elaborate foodie gifts at my desk and sprinkled around the office. Butter cookies everywhere, oh my! Chocolate. Let's not speak of it. Of course we're all offering the loot around and sharing it in conspiratorial whispers. Along with one of my colleagues, we stow some of the goodies away in desk drawers, just in case...Ha-ha. We cannot deny ourselves everything.

Last night I met a business acquaintance for a quick drink--something called a lemonata at a Spanish tapas place. We also had some greasy-looking Manchego cheese and olives. I went home and later, around 10 p.m., I did what people say you shouldn't do: I ate dinner! It was just a small piece of leftover chicken and jasmine brown rice mixed with bulghur wheat into a kind of pilaf. Hey, I was hungry. I made the rice on Monday night: half brown/half bulghur. It's a good mix with the right spices along with sauteed garlic and a few olives. It was delicious.

Now, I didn't happen to sleep well last night and still I dragged my butt to the gym this morning for my mandatory 30 minutes of cardio per day. I didn't have time to do anything else, but I did that. And you know what? It feels good to see other people around me sweating and jiggling and groaning. They're tired and rushed as well. If you ever need inspiration, it's on the elliptical next to yours or on the treadmill across the way or grunting on the mat below eye level.

If you don't have access to a gym, get down on the floor and try some of the exercises here on AOL Diet & Fitness. There are tons of them! Too, you can rent a video from the video store or your local library. Turn on the TV and do some squats holding a chair. Anything to get moving. Take a brisk walk pushing the baby stroller; I see tons of people doing that here in New York every day.

Today, aside from doing 35 minutes of cardio on the "Cardio wave" machine at my gym (the machine that mimics the motion of roller-blading or cross-country skiiing), I did some floor exercises at home. I tried some of the great ab-toning exercises right here on AOL Diet & Fitness under the "Get Fit" tab and "Ab Toners."

Now I've heard a lot about "The Abs Diet: The Six-Week Plan to Flatten Your Stomach and Keep You Lean for Life," the book by David Zinczenko, the editor-in-chief of Men's Health, but I haven't followed the diet.

I assume that if it works for men, it will work for women too. A lot of the eating tips make good sense. For example, Zinczenko recommends eating six meals a day with foods drawn from 12 so-called "power foods" like almonds, beans, and plenty of protein-packed foods like fish. Hey, if you've ever seen Dave, you know it's working for him.

Since I've been fairly diligent about my cardio, I think it's time to incorporate more floor exercises. The ab-toning exercises I tried include a series of side pushups, reverse crunches, and standard crunches. I printed out the instructions to make sure I followed the form correctly. I focused on fully engaging my ab muscles. On the reverse crunch, I tried not to strain my neck as I raised my head and shoulders off the floor. I found these exercises especially good for my core.

Strengthening the core, whether through ab-toning or other floor-based exercises and pilates is really important no matter how much it burns. And believe me, it burns! I look forward to hearing about Jennifer's experiences with private pilates instruction.

Today it feels as if all the newspapers and TV morning shows in America are full of diet and fitness tips. Like clockwork, each new year seems to trigger a wave of new diet and fitness routines.

There's the cardio striptease workout, pole-dancing, circular strength training, spinning, cardio wave, "field play," martial arts, yoga, pilates, boxing, and the list goes on and on. So many workouts, so little time! Then there are the TV ads for Bally Total Fitness, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, and Lucille Roberts all promising a new body in no time at all, not to mention all those infomercials for the Ab Flex, Nordic Track, and a host of other gimmicky workout machines.

The bottom line is you have to start somewhere. Today is the day to begin and gather support. Make a food shopping list. And you can start exercising on the floor of your living room with crunches or sit-ups. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. If you're headed to the gym, choose something you like to do-maybe it's classes, the elliptical trainer, the treadmill, the rowing machine, some free weights, a stationary bike. Pick something and just do it. Even if you're in the gym for 15 minutes, that's a start.

I typically go for 30 minutes, minimum. On New Year's Day, after an indulgent evening of food, drink, and socializing, I found my way to the gym and did 40 minutes on the elliptical trainer that has the arm bars that move back and forth. I like to move quickly to keep my heart rate up and look to maintain the "strides per minute" in the 170-185 range. For resistance, I set the machine on six. That's what works for me. I work up a nice sweat. While I like the elliptical trainer, I typically gravitate to a machine called the cardio wave-it mimics the motion used in roller blading and, I think, cross-country skiing. I try to keep my body upright and shoulders back while I stay low to make deep steps. I keep my feet flat on the machine; I try not to lift my ankles.

After the elliptical, I lifted 10 lb. free weights (bicep curls), doing three sets of 15. I intersperse the bicep curls with a 15-lb. weight. That is, with both arms I lift the weight above and behind my head for three sets of 15. I also did 100 ab crunches; on New Year's Day, I used the "rocker"-like machine at the gym but I typically just do them on the mats or I use one of those big plastic balls. I think they're called Swedish balls. I also did a series of squat jumps with arms folded a la "I Dream of Jeannie"! I'm a little sore today.

Happy New Year everyone! It's a great day to turn over a new leaf. (I can feel the leaf turning ever so slowly...)

Last night, I stopped by two New Year's eve gatherings before the big ball dropped in Times Square . Now I've heard that it's a good idea to eat something before hitting a party so that you won't be quite as ravenous when you arrive and over-indulge in the hors d'oeuvres table. Mind you, I've heard that it's a good idea. I've even tried it a few times. But did I take the advice last night? No, I did not!

Well, that's not entirely true. I had a few forkfuls of jasmine brown rice with olives that I'd made the night before and two handfuls of baby carrots. But guess what? It didn't matter. I knew the hostess of the party was going all out and that her table would be overflowing with goodies I'd want to sample. So sometimes, the best laid plans go awry. On New Year's Eve, I had to give myself a break.

Her table groaned with an assortment of lovely cheeses, foie gras, flat bread crackers and mini breads, olives, fennel salad, hearts of palm salad, mini flatbread pizzas, homemade spanakopita turnovers, and other delicacies I can't seem to recall now. I didn't even stay for the homemade beef Wellington in puff pastry or the savory spaghetti squash lasagna, but the damage was done. I grazed liberally and I can feel it today. Add to that the typical New Year's drinking (a couple of glasses of champagne, a glass of wine, and a beer -Stella Artois is one of my favorites), and you get the picture....

After that gathering, a friend dragged me along to another party for a brief stop where the hostess's table featured homemade baked ziti, various salads, assorted antipasti, chocolates, cakes, and lovely-looking biscuit-style cookies. I was thirsty and sleepy so I went for a Diet Pepsi and three Italian chocolates, each individually wrapped in colorful paper. My friend settled on a seltzer water.

I had planned to head over to Central Park for the traditional fireworks display with some friends but the plan unraveled. Still, I managed to share another glass of bubbly (clink-clink!) at midnight before nodding off from an evening full of rich food and drink.

Our tables and glasses runneth over. Now get thee to the gym, I say.

And that's where I'm headed now. Good day!

Hello everyone in diet and fitness land! In a nation of people motivated by self-improvement, I am no different than you are: I want to feel good and look good. I happen to believe that good eating and exercise habits are goals that you can work on every day and they represent one of the only things in life that are genuinely within your control.

Now in my 4^th decade on the planet with a new number visiting me on January 6, (shocking because I often feel like I'm 13), I began to incorporate a diet and fitness routine into my life in late September 2005. The slow, but steady creep of pounds on my small frame took their toll. Something kicked in on a subconscious level and then very quickly thereafter, on a conscious level, that I could choose to commit to good eating and exercise habits on a consistent basis. To me, that means each day I live with an awareness of what I'm putting into my body and then how I'm moving that body.

There's no secret to achieving your diet and fitness goals but you have to embrace the desire, and apply the same self-discipline you would to anything else that's important to you. Many people can help: AOL offers tons of great tips and exercises; we bloggers will share our experiences; and there is an entire community of motivational experts who can support you. But everything depends on your own self-discipline and motivation. It all starts with you.

In my case, as a New York City-based writer and editor, I find myself running from pillar to post on most weekdays and even the weekends. It's a frenetic pace, a blur of activity and to-do lists, and then a desire for quiet. I also love to cook and I love to eat. Living in the city, I find that much of my socializing occurs in bars and restaurants, at events, and on the run. In my experience living here nearly 10 years, I've found that there is less emphasis on sharing a home-cooked meal, throwing dinner parties, and pot-luck suppers. Perhaps it's the small size of apartments, or the easy access to diverse kinds of food and dining experiences. We are just drowning in food choices in New York and that can lead to trouble!

As an editor, I am invited to all kinds of events where the food and drink runneth over and it's easy to over-eat and drink. The pounds can catch up with you and if you're like me, you barely realize it. It's a slow creep that happens over the course of several years. In 2005, I decided to take control and make a commitment to pursuing a personal fitness and eating plan with the help of Paula Rivera, my trainer from New York Sports Club who is also a talented ballet and modern dancer. Working with Paula and on my own, I lost more than 30 pounds over the course of 15 months.

I began by meeting Paula three times a week and worked out on my own with her recommended routine for at least 30 minutes a day approximately six days a week. Paula is a strong supporter and became a partner in my process; she cheered me on, pushed me, and even scolded me when I tried to sabotoge my progress. Later, I cut my visits down to twice a week, and now once a week as I enter a kind of maintenance mode. I cut certain things from my diet and controlled portions. I ate smaller meals more frequently. I tried to cut my sugar intake. I also began taking long, brisk walks around the Central Park bridal path (gorgeous and peaceful), as well as jogs around the Central Park Reservoir which I really enjoy. I discovered running on the treadmill was fun when I had fast, raucous music to listen to on my iPod. I pursued weight training exercises.

Now I'm in a maintenance mode/"last five- to seven pounds" zone. As the fall set in and the weather got cooler, I desired more savory, stick-to-your-ribs foods. I missed carbs. I've fallen off the wagon a few times in the last couple of weeks (not uncommon for most of us around the holidays). In fact, a few nights ago I was drinking beer with some friends and having a great time. Drinking typically leads me to overeat and overindulge. By the end of the evening, we were sharing one of those big paper cones filled with Belgian French fries accompanied by various dipping sauces (not ketchup!). I stumbled to the gym the next day in an attempt to work off the slip-up.

Yesterday, I threw away biscotti left over from a gift package. Today, I made steel cut oatmeal for breakfast with a little brown sugar. I'm bringing on the Kashi Go Lean bars for breakfast. They're good!

So on the cusp of a new year, everything looks bright, shiny, and full of possibility.

As I turn the calendar page to 2007, I find myself reflecting on the last few weeks of somewhat indulgent eating. But you know what, I know what to do and how to course-correct. You'll hear more about that in the days to come.

Taking care of your body is as important as anything you do and making it a priority will help every other aspect of your life. Happy New Year to all!