Make sure fat is your friend, not your foe.

Fat has a very bad reputation, and yet—the human body needs it to function properly. Certain vitamins can only be absorbed via fat. And surprisingly enough, fat stores energy which means it also fuels light exercise. But that doesn't mean you're better off with more of it. And it certainly doesn't mean you can stop worrying about how much fat you take in. In fact, there's a huge difference between good and bad fats, and if you take in too much of the latter, that's when you over accumulate. And that's when fat becomes your foe.

For example, the American Institute of Cancer Research concluded that almost 100,000 of the 1.6 million cases of cancer reported in 2009 were most likely related to obesity. And ladies, I'm not sure if you've heard this yet but I seem to be reading it everywhere—excess abdominal fat is often linked to breast cancer. But cancer isn't the only thing linked to bodies with an excessive amount of fat. Diabetes, arthritis, heart attacks, sleep apnea...your risk for developing all of these things increases as your body fat increases.

True, these are some scary words, but they're meant to inspire. Take a look at your body and decide whether or not you're helping or hindering its ability to give you the healthiest life possible. Is your diet on the fatty side? Are YOU on the fatty side?! Be honest with yourself when you answer these question. And set aside those images of star athletes and models. No comparisons allowed! It's not about being skinny or ripped. It's about challenging yourself to eat right and be active so that fat remains your friend, rather than an accumulated foe. It's about doing everything you can to live the fit life. Because really—it's how you will live your best life.