By Jillian Michaels
Guest blogger

The holiday season is upon us and this time EVERY year I write diet, fitness, and motivation tips about how to not gain weight and let your health spiral out of control. It’s nothing you haven’t heard before so honestly why the heck am I writing about this again?! Did no one listen the last 10 years?

You are not stupid. You know how to be healthy. Eat less and move more. It doesn’t take much to know that a second helping of stuffing and pumpkin pie and yams and biscuits is a bad idea.

You know all the obvious stuff… Eat white meat turkey, not dark. Do whole grain rolls instead of biscuits. Bring fitness DVDs with you if you are traveling so you can workout on the road. Create fun family fitness activities to do together such as touch football instead of sitting around eating or watching TV. And the list goes on…

Let’s get down to the bottom of it. The holidays are a time to be grateful. Grateful for the blessings you have and the ability to create new blessings symbolized by the coming of a new year. However, at a time when we should be celebrating our lives most, we are prone to depression and dysfunction. Eating becomes gluttonous. Family issues become magnified. The gym becomes a distant memory. Stress levels go through the roof and so on.

So how do we create that shift in our thinking, behavior, and overall holiday experience? Desire. The first step is to stay focused in the present tense on the things you want for yourself and in your life. Transformation doesn’t happen in the past or in the future. It happens right now. By focusing on the positive things you crave and deserve, you shift your focus from one of resignation to one of inspiration.

Start by picking a goal. Maybe the one you have been saving for January 1 and begin pursuing it immediately. Every day this season, I want you to wake up and think about that goal and how the actions you take throughout your day will bring you closer to that goal. If holiday parties create temptation for you, avoid them. Find a healthier way to celebrate with your friends like a night on the town dancing. If stressful family reunions throw you off track, set boundaries or stay away. Take a healthy vacation with close friends instead. If the memories of holiday seasons past cause you to feel lonely, channel those feelings constructively instead of destructively. Take them as a sign that it’s time to form new connections. Join a club, support group, or online community where you meet new people and make new friends. And with every decision you make ask yourself this question – “is my choice or behavior in this moment getting me closer to my goals?” If the answer is no, make a different choice.

Some of you are thinking “it’s not that simple. I have to go to my office party. I have to go to my grandmother’s house for dinner where she guilts me into eating thousands of calories. I have to let my in-laws stay with us even though they insult me.” Do you? Do you physically have to? Are you being held at gunpoint to engage in behaviors that upset or hurt you in some way? I bet 99 percent of the time the answer to that question will be no. So stop wasting time and start putting your health first, physically and emotionally. Let’s redefine the holidays as a time of inspiration and possibility one empowered person at a time. And remember, taking care of oneself is a gift to everyone else because everyone ends up having a happier and healthier holiday.

How will you maintain your health goals during the holidays?

Jillian Michaels is a fitness expert and trainer on the TV reality show "The Biggest Loser".

Jillian Michaels and Dr. Sanjay Gupta at a Fit Nation event in St. Paul, MN

Editor's Note:  Four months ago, Dr. Sanjay Gupta began his “Four months till 40” quest to get in the best shape of his life by his 40th birthday, which is today.  Along the way, he checked in with personal fitness trainer Jillian Michaels, who is our guest blogger today. 

By Jillian Michaels
Guest Blogger

Motivation – "a reason for doing something or behaving in some way”. Motivation, it’s one of the most illusive American traits. Many of us can’t get motivated in the first, place let alone stay motivated.

So many of us go through our lives lost. Slogging away at a job we hate, in a body that is unhealthy, living a life that is unhappy. Some of us putting everyone else’s needs above our own. Meeting our “responsibilities” and doing what society tells us we are supposed to. The reason our motivation wavers like a candle dancing in a squall is because we have forgotten how to dream. You see motivation must come from an authentic internal desire to be and have more and we as Americans either don’t feel worth it or don’t feel capable or don’t feel worth it and capable. Sigh…

The way to get motivated and stay motivated is to identify, define, and emotionally connect to your dreams. Your dreams are your eternal motivation. They inspire us to our greatest heights, comfort us through hard times, and bring about the realization of our destiny. They are the first steps towards happiness and success and although dreaming is as natural as breathing, most of us have forgotten how. We are terrified to hope, paralyzed by thoughts of failure, ashamed of our desires and for absolutely no good reason.

Often, when we do get motivated it is a fleeting moment of bravado based in passion, but not practicality. In that moment of daring to try we are frantic for overnight results that will validate our ability to achieve the goal at hand. For this reason we engage in self-destructive behaviors like fasting, yo-yo diets, archaic surgeries where we remove parts of our internal organs. It would seem that nothing is unthinkable when we are in a place of desperation.

Sadly, these types of behaviors have the opposite effect- in some cases resulting in long term damage to our health and subsequently our morale to an even greater degree. Thus begetting the vicious cycle of hopelessness and helplessness that makes our health and happiness elusive.

Here is the good news: You DO have the power to change anything in your life, in any way you choose, at anytime you choose it.

People come to me on “The Biggest Loser” having hit the end of the road. Having tried “everything” imaginable to get healthy they show up weighing 500 pounds, with one foot in the grave. The reason I am able to help them is because I am able to educate them. You see with the proper information you have the ability to make powerful choices that affect positive change. Then, when contestants see results success begets success. Their self image is redefined as a person who CAN achieve and who IS worthy of all the good things this life has to offer. Instead of saying, “Why me? What makes me special? Why do I deserve health, wealth, love, etc?” They leave saying “why not me?”.

If they can achieve this empowered state of mind so can you. Start by writing down your dreams. Then educate yourself on how to achieve them SAFELY and effectively. Take deliberate action with your goals in mind. Then, take stock of your accomplishments and let them feed your self worth and self esteem for when times get tough. Success is a matter of attrition and when you feel your inspiration leaving you, know this: There is an abundance in this world. There are people who are rich, healthy, happy and in love. WHY NOT YOU?

How do you stay motivated?

By Matt Sloane
CNN Medical Producer

There are few things that excite me more in my job than a run of Fit Nation Tour events, and that's exactly what we're kicking off this weekend! It's not the travel so much that I'm excited about, but the opportunity to meet thousands of people who are eager to hear the latest information about obesity, losing weight and healthy living.

I've written these numbers over and over again: 66 percent of Americans are either overweight or obese; 33 percent of children fall into this same category. This is NOT OK! So, we've partnered with the YMCA – a fantastic community organization – to get kids moving again. We've taken a page from the YMCA of Cleveland's book and modified a program called "We Run This City" – where kids run 25 miles of a "marathon" over the course of two months, and run the final 1.2 miles during their city's big marathon. Once they cross the finish line, they receive a medal, a certificate and a sense of confidence – a feeling, that they CAN stay healthy and have fun.

This Sunday, we'll hit the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon in St. Paul, Minnesota, followed by Chicago on Sunday, October 11. We’ll also be at the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, October 25th. If you're in one of these cities, come out and visit! Dr. Sanjay Gupta will be joining us in Minneapolis and Chicago, and he'll be signing advance copies of his new book: “Cheating Death.”

To learn more about the Fit Nation Tour, and for tips and tricks to help you get fit, plus stories of how other people have conquered the battle of the bulge, go to CNN.com/Fitnation.

As a regular feature of CNNhealth.com, our team of expert doctors answers readers’ questions. Here’s a question for Dr. Gupta.

From Dayna in Pineland, Texas:

"I have been recently 'diagnosed' with dehydration. I’m drinking more now and have much more energy, but wonder: How much liquid consumption is too much on a daily basis?"

Answer:

Dayna, there is no single right answer here.  First I’m glad you saw someone about your lethargy and you are taking action to feel better and improve your health.

According to the Mayo Clinic, an average adult loses more than 80 ounces of water every day.  The normal person can easily replenish this by eating and drinking a healthy diet.  But if you eliminate more than you bring in, due to illness or exercise, that is when dehydration can occur.

As to your question;  Your height, weight, where you live, how much you exercise and many other factors determine your need for fluids.  However, you probably have heard to always drink eight glasses of water a day.  And the American Dietetic Association says to drink at least 64 ounces of fluid a day – eight 8-ounce glasses.  But you do get some hydration from your food as well, so it’s safe to take that into account.

You are right to consider how much water is too much because you can over-hydrate.  There is a relatively uncommon condition called hyponatremia.  This can happen in endurance athletes who are losing sodium through sweating and drink only water to re-hydrate.  Most experts will say the key to proper hydration is listening to your body – drink when you’re thirsty.

A good way to check if you’re drinking the right amount of fluids when exercising is to see whether you weigh the same after your workout as before.  If you weigh less, you need to hydrate, but if you have gained weight you need to back off.

Another tip, if you are well hydrated your urine should be nearly colorless or pale yellow.  Also, keep in mind that thirst is often misinterpreted by the body as hunger, so make sure to drink some water at every meal.

By Caitlin Hagan
CNN Medical Associate Producer

On a hot sunny day, eight men play street soccer on the hard top of a local basketball court. They high-five and laugh while running drills and scrimmaging. Their dynamic is unique because despite their competition, they are also extremely supportive of one another. Friendly trash talk is intermixed with calls of praise that continue when it's time for a break and the men move off the court, into the shade. To an outsider, this group of friends is happy and healthy, enjoying an afternoon in the sunshine.

Street Soccer USA tries to give hope and restore self-worth to homeless men around the country.

No one would ever suspect these men are homeless. In fact, being homeless is what brings them together.
Welcome to the Atlanta Street Soccer team. One of 16 in the country, the team is part of the national program, Street Soccer USA. The program, open to men who are homeless, addicts in a rehabilitation program, or refugees, seeks to use sports, specifically street soccer, to help the players turn their lives around.

When someone is homeless, “you stop thinking about your health and things that make you happy, things that make you want to live, that make you want to be a productive member of society, that make you want to get up and go to work.” Participating in soccer and sports “makes you want to take that next step. It motivates you to want to do better,” says Jeremy Wisham, an AmeriCorps volunteer who coaches the Atlanta team.

Calvin Riley had a job and an apartment before his company went bankrupt and he was laid off. Eventually he lost everything and became one of the more than 2 million Americans who are homeless. “I was depressed…I never thought I’d be homeless. I never thought I’d be down in the homeless shelter.”

A chance encounter with Wisham brought Riley out on the court. Since then, he says, everything has changed. “Playing soccer got me back focused. Being around positive people…helped me to go out and do something.” Riley is now enrolled in college classes with a job lined up for when he graduates in a few months. He has lost weight and he quit smoking. “You know, there’s a lot of running in soccer. When I first came…I was running constantly. I didn’t like the way it made me feel…so after three practices I said, I’m giving it up, man. I am giving it up.”

“Street Soccer is about redefining yourself and setting goals,” says Lawrence Cann, founder and CEO of Street Soccer USA. “The homeless are usually locked out of normal life so a chance to get in and play and be a part of the team…it’s something they can be proud of at the end of the day.”

The 16 teams will meet at the end of July in Washington, D.C., for the U.S. Homeless Cup. From there, about a dozen players will travel to Milan to compete in this year’s World Homeless Cup. “Soccer is the world’s game. It’s the people’s game, and when you’re homeless, you’re so alone…but you become part of a community, the soccer community, probably the biggest community in the world,” says Cann.

Riley believes that support has been key to his success. “When you join this team, it’s like a family. If you need anything, we’ll be there for you.”

Do you think sports could be a solution to homelessness? Has sports ever helped you overcome an obstacle?

Editor's Note: Medical news is a popular but sensitive subject rooted in science. We receive many comments on this blog each day; not all are posted. Our hope is that much will be learned from the sharing of useful information and personal experiences based on the medical and health topics of the blog. We encourage you to focus your comments on those medical and health topics and we appreciate your input. Thank you for your participation.

As a regular feature of CNNhealth.com, our team of expert doctors will answer readers' questions. Here's a question for Dr. Gupta.

From Barbara, Chicago:

"I’ve lost 5 pounds since jumping on board with your fitness forum. How are you doing so far? Have you noticed changes in the last month?”

Answer:

Barbara, thanks for joining the forum and congratulations on losing 5 pounds! Keep up the great work.

It’s been three weeks since we started the #1023 trending topic group on Twitter. (Read the tips, join the conversation, by typing in #1023 Twitter's search browser) People are already starting to write in about their own progress. I really encourage you to read all the comments coming in – witty, inspiring, proactive and most of all, helpful.

@melmcd99: started morning with a yummy smoothie-2cup-stawberries, 1-banana,1cup-soymilk, 1scoop protein powder and tsp-almond butter! #1023

@JackRyan53: Rotated 10 min walks with 10 minutes of hard labor on the Elliptical. Not a bad routine. Feeling the effects!! #1023

@nhPNP: got up to 4.5 mph on the treadmill- could only sustain it for about 3 min, but it's a start. Love the interval training prgrm. #1023

@claudiasiegel: Friends gave me consequences for skipping exercise. So far it is working. Haven't missed a day since challenge started. #1023

@melmcd99: Walk to your next meeting instead of driving or riding the bus! #1023

As I mentioned in my initial blog, this isn’t about losing weight or inches, but about health and fitness. For my part, I am finally on a strict routine. Since I started three weeks ago, I have been able to work out 15 times (five times per week). I have not missed breakfast once and I have started to meditate almost every afternoon for about 10 minutes.

Without question, it hasn’t always been easy. For example, I had a day when I started work at 6 a.m., finished at 7 p.m., and then jumped on a plane that landed around midnight. As hard as it was, I woke up an hour early on that day – and got in a 4-mile run, followed by push-ups and sit-ups. I immediately look for a hotel gym or any other place to exercise when I am on the road.

In Haiti, I asked our cameraman if I could carry the tripod during our long hikes up hills, and I did curls with the tripod on the way. One of the best pieces of advice about diet that I received:  “don’t eat anything that is not worth eating…”

My biggest concern now is that I am becoming too lean. My producer Danielle pointed out that I was looking skinny after a recent shoot down in Texas. There is no doubt that I am losing weight, but I have to be careful to maintain muscle mass. After all, it is the muscle that is the metabolic engine for your body.

So, I plan on sticking with the program but adding on more strength training with some free weights. Look for more updates soon!

Dr. Sanjay Gupta says his upcoming birthday motivated him to launch the fitness forum with viewers. He wants himself, and America, to get in the best shape of their lives.

By Dr. Sanjay Gupta
CNN Chief Medical Correspondent

Today, I am starting something I have wanted to do for a very long time.

Using this blog and my @SanjayGuptaCNN twitter account, I am going to try to harness some of the best practices people employ every day to stay in the best shape of their lives.

Truth is, there are hundreds of sites like this, so I want to make this one different. First of all, I am hoping it becomes a living, breathing forum that users, like you, use to share your best health and fitness tips. I learn new things every day from CNN bloggers and Tweeters. You all are a great resource of information.

I am also going to call on my friends and others I find inspiring to help as well.

For example, @JoePerez helped create something called the Daily Plate, which partners with the non-profit cancer foundation LIVESTRONG, where I sit on the board of directors. After surveying lots of different ways of tracking diets, I think this is one of the best. I will introduce you to Joe and the Web site.

There are also sites out there that will start to help you heart rate train. After doing lots of research, I believe this is one of the most effective and efficient ways of training. Ironically, my friends who listened to this recommendation from me say they work out less intensely and still increase their fitness more than before.

Speaking of LIVESTRONG, I hope to get my pal @LanceArmstrong to weigh in. Admittedly, he is a professional athlete who will be pretty busy training for a big race in July. After that, though, I hope he will share with you some of the great tips he has given me over the years.

Also well-known trainer, and friend of mine, @JillianMichaels who can provide logical, useful suggestions that can be applied to lots of different situations. I also hope to get tips from @RichRoll. We have met only via twitter, but he is living proof that you can go from being a 38-year-old who hardly ever works out to someone who is in fantastic shape, an ultraman in fact, and is biologically younger than he was 10 years ago.

Most of all, this will be a four-month forum dedicated to getting people in terrific shape.

While smaller waists and less weight are things that will inevitably occur as you start incorporating these tips into your life, the real goal is a longer, more functional and exceptional life – free of disease and dysfunction.

I am a neurosurgeon and a reporter for CNN, who has three kids. I have a fairly active travel schedule. I tell you all that, because, like most people, I am busy. Yet, it can still be done.

So join me right here and on my Twitter page. Also, let's keep track of each other’s tips under the hashtag #1023 - which just so happens to be the date of a very big birthday for me.

Four months from now, I hope, we can all celebrate what we have done for our bodies and for our health.

As a new feature of CNNhealth.com, our team of expert doctors will answer readers’ questions. Here’s a question for Dr. Gupta.

From Suzy, Raleigh North Carolina

“Dr. Gupta, I saw you on “Dancing with the Stars” this week and it was great! I started dancing about three months ago and have lost about 10 pounds. I am having fun on the program but do worry about getting injured! What can I do to lower my risk?”

Answer:

Hi Suzy, thanks for writing in. It’s great to hear you started dancing as a way to get fit. It’s a great way to burn calories without it feeling like a chore. The key for anyone looking to get in shape is to find a fitness routine you enjoy! You’ll stick with it longer and may even inspire a friend or two to join you.

Many dancers say they feel longer and leaner from just a few months of classes. Exercises like dancing, or even Pilates for example, impact the density of your muscle versus the size of the muscle. The muscle fibers are engaged differently from the way they would be in a person lifting weights. It is a great body-shaping activity, keeping the core engaged the entire time and toning and strengthening your muscles.

Of course dancing burns a lot of calories too! Fast-paced dancing (swing, ballroom, or party dancing) can burn about 360 calories per hour. Slow-paced dancing (slow ballroom or a mambo) can burn about 240 calories per hour for the average person.

But for any fan of the hit TV show, “Dancing with the Stars,”you are well aware of the injuries that can develop. Just this season, five contestants have been hurt. Nancy O’Dell had a torn meniscus; Jewel suffered a leg fracture to name a couple. Their injuries are typical – majority of dancing injures develop in the lower extremities: hip, knee, leg, ankle, foot.

To avoid injury, be careful of overuse. Overuse injuries, the most common seen among dancers, occur when a person consistently does the same movement over and over again. The muscles begin to tire, bone begins to weaken, and an injury occurs.

Studies show that during a 90-minute organized dance class, a person lands on the same leg about 200 times! Each impact is about 10 times your body weight. Imagine doing that every night? Overtime, your muscles will break down and an overuse injury will result.

So let your body rest after dancing (or any other high-intensity workout) by spacing out your workouts. For example: Avoid doing two days in a row of the same activity. Remember, it’s the repetitive motions that often cause overuse injuries. And remember that a good workout makes you alert, energizes you for the day ahead. If you are feeling sluggish, you are most likely not getting enough sleep. Sleep deprivation impacts your reaction times and overall performance, which could lead to injuries as well.

The best bet for someone looking to start dance-for-fitness regime (and avoid injury) is to cross train versus solely dancing. By making dancing ONE of the activities you do to stay in shape – not the only one – you will have fun, tone up and avoid sitting on the sidelines. Keep up the great work, Suzy!

As a new feature of CNNhealth.com, our team of expert doctors will answer readers’ questions. Here’s a question for Dr. Gupta.

Asked by Bill, Dawsonville, Georgia

“I am a pretty healthy 50-year-old guy, but I notice a lot of my friends and colleagues in the same age group are starting to get heart disease and prostate cancer. What is your advice for men wanting to stay a step ahead of potential health concerns?”

Answer:

Thanks for the question. I’m happy to hear you’re interested in health prevention during the prime years of your life. You might be surprised to know that many men don’t get regular health check-ups. It’s interesting when you think about it: Many men tend to focus on their outer appearance around age 50 - get new clothes, new haircut maybe. But when it comes to regular health screenings, they often skip them! The problem is, age 50 is when potential health issues develop.

All men (and women) should be getting annual physicals and screenings for cancer and heart disease. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer for men in the United States and it is often preventable. Keeping your weight down and your vital signs at a healthy level are two of the easiest things a person can do to reduce their risk. In addition to annual check-ups with your general physician, get your eyes examined at least once every two years.

If you’re like me, you might have trouble remembering when your last appointment was. But no excuses! One easy solution is to schedule your annual check-up for the week of your birthday. You’ll likely never forget.

One last piece of advice, don’t let fitness be the first thing to fall off your schedule. It always seems to, especially when life gets busy. But exercise is truly the single best thing a person can do for a long health life. It is not only good for your heart, your brain, and your body weight but also relieves stress. Some studies even show that people who work out are overall happier than those who don’t.

Bottom line: Investing time in your health now, will pay off years down the road. Best of luck, Bill!

By Karen Denice
CNN Senior Medical Producer

Another day, another training walk and my feet are feeling the pain. I’m training for a half-marathon walk and even though I know walking is good for my health, I also figured it would be pretty easy on my body. However, I did not check in with my feet before making this assumption. Granted I like to call my feet “special”: I overpronate, have flat arches and bunions – special.

Still, walking with good shoes and, for me, shoe inserts should normally do the trick. But the foot is a complicated specimen with 26 bones, 33 joints and over 100 ligaments, tendons and muscles. The list is long as to what can cause foot pain - from plantar fasciitis and tendinitis to toenail injuries - and experts warn not to put up with foot pain – see a health professional.

But first you may want to try these tips to see if they cure the hurt. Wear socks that wick away moisture to reduce blisters. Always stretch legs and feet before activity and try to make stretching at the end of your day a habit as well. Also, consider the terrain you’re walking on – choose trails rather than pavement. This should cut down on stress to your joints which can lead to arch and heel pain. Avoid walking barefoot. Experts say this can leave your feet more susceptible to injury and infection.

I’ve tried nearly all of the above tips, and will probably be heading to a foot specialist myself if this discomfort continues.
Do you have foot pain when you walk? What do you do to cure the ache? We want to hear from you.

Editor's Note: Medical news is a popular but sensitive subject rooted in science. We receive many comments on this blog each day; not all are posted. Our hope is that much will be learned from the sharing of useful information and personal experiences based on the medical and health topics of the blog. We encourage you to focus your comments on those medical and health topics and we appreciate your input. Thank you for your participation.