Wood Chops & Jelly Beans

"Diet and exercise have to work together not cancel each other out."

Today Christine introduced me to wood chops using a cable. While standing, I challenged myself by pulling a cable across my midsection. It's a movement that we duplicate in everyday life and it's an excellent way to strengthen your core. If you're like me, I consider my core my biggest problem. I know I'm not alone, as evidenced by the success of spanx.

Now you may be wondering where the jelly beans fit in. Well, the jelly beans are the "core" root of my other problem. I like to reward myself and my self control lately is to put it mildly about the same as my dog's at meal time. My license to indulge is turning out to be my workout. Ask me how that's working out? You're right, it's not.

Here's why: one commercially prepared chocolate chip cookie is about 137 calories. Do you stop at one? That's how an entire workout session can go by the wayside.

I'm not saying to practice abstinence - does anyone really believe that works? It's just that diet and exercise have to work together not cancel each other out. Wood chops here I come!