The Idiot's Guide to Being Nice to Your Body

Simple advice that I learned the hard way:

-Be kind to your knees. They might not always be around. Someday, you might really miss them and wish you had been nicer.

- Don't chug mountain dew and then try a workout. Not a good idea, trust me.

- Pizza and a workout- also not a good idea.

- Good shoes to work out in are an investment. Athletic shoe shopping is not the time to check out the clearance aisle; be smart about it. Talk to the salespeople, tell them what you need, listen to what they say you need. This doesn't mean go out and buy the most expensive pair of shoes or the top-of-the-line model; it means that you and these shoes are going to get to be good pals, so pick your friends wisely.

- Do not aspire to be a hurdler if you have not learned anything about hurdling. It is more complicated than just jumping over an obstacle. Jumping over that trash can pretending to be the next olympic hurdler is more dangerous than it sounds.

- Regular meals are key, not snacking or binge eating every once in a while.

- If your shoes get wet, they WILL smell after a while. Take out the innersoles and stuff the shoes with newspaper. The newsprint will draw the moisture out, drying the shoes faster and leaving them less smelly.

-You are what you eat. NO JOKE.