Don't blame anyone or anything for your situation or problems. When you do that, you are saying that you are powerless over your own life—which is utter crap. An empowering step to reclaiming your life is taking responsibility.

Most people who try those bizarre trends are looking for magic bullets. There's usually a sexy promise attached to these trends - related to diet or fitness - that many people find too tempting to resist.

I can always use a good chest fly in my life

Both belly bulge and love handles are about excess body fat, not lack of muscle. Crunches and ab exercises are therefore not the solution. The best way to reduce these problem areas is to reduce your overall body fat percentage, and we all know that that requires diet and exercise.

At some point you have to stop acting as though life is happening to you and acknowledge the ways you are happening to it. Once you take responsibility for your side of the street, you grant yourself the power to improve every aspect of your life by simply acting and behaving differently.

Become very comfortable being uncomfortable.

I used to tell moms that for the sake of their well-being they had to put themselves first. But I know now that's not always possible.