Go Easy on the Guilt

One piece of cake is 500 calories, while a pound of fat is 3,500. You'd have to eat cake every day for a week to gain a pound. One piece won't derail your diet, so don't beat yourself up — just get back on track as soon as you can.

Fears of Working Out

Exercise is absolutely crucial to getting and staying healthy. Some people can't work out because they are afraid they'll look stupid, they fear trying something new or, well, any other number of things you can think of. These are fears you NEED to get over. Your attitude creates your reality, so it's crucial to have the right one. The power is in your mind, so if you have negative thoughts about your self-image, if you lack confidence, or if you feel hopeless that you'll ever lose weight, you're still at square one. If you constantly tell yourself you're not capable of working out, then you're always going to feel stupid…and eventually you'll give up. But if you harness your mental power with positive thoughts that you CAN do this, and WILL do this, guess what ― you will.

Strengthen Your Lower Body

Sure you want your butt to look good in jeans, but you also want to remember it's not just about looking good. You can improve your overall fitness level and even your mobility by strengthening those glutes, quads, hips, and hamstrings. It's extremely important to have a balanced physique to help keep your workouts injury-free. A stronger lower half is also one of the best ways to build speed; working out those muscles could only help you in a variety of sports such as running, biking, and swimming.