Last week I had the pleasure of seeing fitness pro Shawna Kaminski in action. 
One minute she was teaching something called “One Legged Burpees” in the hallway of the Aria Convention Center, and the next thing I knew, she was sharing a jumprope, literally, with Niall Traynor, the “Great Legs” guy.
It is so obvious that Shawna has a true love of fitness that energizes everything she shares with her audience.
I was delighted when she asked me to write a blog post for you, because I share that love of fitness, but it wasn’t always that way.
As a child I struggled with my weight, and by Junior High I was struggling in Physical Education Class too. I wasn’t lazy, and I had a strong desire to do my best and keep up with my classmates, but I just didn’t have the strength or stamina to actually do it.
Eventually, I discovered a love of dance in my twenties, but as I matured I grew heavier, and after the birth of my son in 2001, I was officially obese, and I stayed that way for seven years.
I wasn’t fat for lack of trying to lose weight.
I cut my calories and spent hours upon hours in the gym. My fitness strategy involved spinning, painful jogging on the treadmill, weight machines, cardio classes, and when that didn’t work, more time on the treadmill and the elliptical machine.
Then, in 2008, I discovered Turbulence Training, won the 2nd TT Transformation Contest, and my whole life changed.
Today, I am a Certified Turbulence Trainer with success stories of my own: so many that I was named Trainer of the Year at the 3rd TT Summit in San Diego last June.
You see, I live by this motto:
We receive what we want for others.
So I am always happy to share my best strategies for permanent fat loss. Here are three that I would like to share with you.
1. Choose and follow a fitness plan.
I know, I know, plenty of research shows that diet is the more powerful driver of weight loss, but I believe that effective exercise is the foundation of figure transformation.
The right amount of exercise at the proper intensity will make you feel fantastic, and it will help you manage your appetite, so that you can follow a good eating plan for fat loss. (You’re reading Shawna’s blog, so I know you’ve got great training right at your fingertips!)
2. Choose and faithfully follow an eating strategy. 
Start with whole, fresh, nourishing food, and be honest about what foods give you energy and satisfaction without triggering overeating.
I continue to be surprised at the variety of strategies that my students have used to succeed. What they have in common is that they pick a plan that works for them, and they stick to it. Amazing!
For me, success comes when I eat planned meals sitting down, and those meals are free of sugar, grains, and processed vegetable oils. You may not need to eliminate sugar and grains, but it’s given me freedom from food obsession, so I can live the life I really want to live.
3. Choose your allies. 
Melanie, mother of two little girls, and one of my students who lost 60 pounds and 5 jean sizes, sums up the secret to her success like this: Ask for help.
Yes, you may have to ask someone to watch your kids while you do a Challenge Fat Loss Session, or let your kids watch and be inspired by you.
You may need to check in with a friend for accountability.
You may even want to carefully choose who you share your fat loss goals with, and make sure you share your dreams with positive like-minded people. (Hint, Shawna is one of them!)
Finally, and it bears repeating, you need to know why you want the energy and vitality that comes from being in your best shape ever.
What is that you want to do in life that is worth training for?
Whether you learn to love fitness, the results of fitness, or both, a healthy lifestyle is so rewarding that you will never miss the old you.
I am so glad to call Shawna my new Friend in Fitness, she is definitely on my list of “Allies,” and I hope these three tools for permanent fat loss make a real difference in your fitness journey.
You can check out how I kicked my sugar addition habit here.