While I am still busy getting my manuscript ready for print, my best friend, a/k/a Brooklyn Fit-Chick, has graced my pages with her presence...Here is her guest blog entry for the new year. For all of you fellow writers (and readers), pay close attention...these tips will help to keep you writing and reading for a long, long time!!  I, for one, already practice the Meatless Mondays and it makes a world of difference. (Thanks, BFC!! You are the best!)   Hello there! I am so pleased to guest blog for The DanteChronicles. My name is Margo and the name of my Blog is ���Brooklyn Fit Chick��� (http://brooklynfitchick.typepad.com/brooklyn-fit-chick/ ) I write about health, fitness, and the media plus offer my ideas for workout playlists. Today I want to talk about the importance for finding time to workout in the winter which I realize is not the funnest topic but we all know that the part of the post-holiday blues includes weight gain. Most people between Thanksgiving and New Year���s put on about one pound to their frame and unfortunately they rarely take it off so the weight gradually creeps up over time. Happy New Year! One ofthe biggest reasons for weight gain is lack of activity and being seated most of the day. 20 years ago, the thought of sitting in front of a computer for a living would have seemed ludicrous���but today it is the norm. Being seated causes the electrical levels in your muscles to drop leading to muscle loss, fatty deposits in the abdominal area and is said to be a future leading causeof death in this country. (Heart attacks, Type 2 diabetes, etc.) So how can you start the New Year with a ���get healthier��� mission? Let me offer my own personal tips (you���re welcome!)  Try to stand as often as possible at your desk: I know this could look silly but sitting all day is ruining your posture and causing weight gain. Many offices today are starting to offer ���standing desks��� to their employees (I am a recent convert) but if this is not possible for you try taking your phone calls while standing at your desk. Schedule regular breaks to stretch your legs even if it only means being upright for afew minutes. Just do it! Try Workout DVDs: I know this seems pretty obvious but so many people still do not take advantage of the convenience of working out at home. You can wear your sweatpants and look like a fright but still get a good workout. Check out Amazon.com for the best reviewed DVDs to get the program that works best for you.  Park father away from your office, school, shopping,etc.: Exercise is a cumulative thing so every little bit counts. Those extra 10-15 minutes you add every day will pay off in the long run. Just bundle up and do it! Meatless Mondays: I certainly do not advocate becoming a vegan (I like bacon way too much for that!) but one day per week abstaining from meat will help you cut down calories big time plus all ofus could use more fiber in our diets by filling up on veggies. Trust me���this one can change your life for the better immediately.  Schedule Your Exercise Each Week: Write it down in your calendar, plug it into your smart phone, post it on your fridge���whatever it takes to help you to remember. By making it part ofyour ���to do��� list you are more likely to make it happen. Make this your Sunday afternoon task and just do it! Create a Facebook or Twitter personae and join the online weight loss community: There is plenty of new research on current social media outlets and weight loss. Folks who use the Internet to reach out to others and make themselves accountable to an invisible (yet supportive) community have a much easier time losing weight and keeping it off. Check out my Twitter follows to get ideas on whom to connect with online. You have friends out there ready to help you! That���s all I have today folks. Please let me know your own tips for staying healthy. I want to hear from you! Have a wonderful 2012. Let���s all meet our goals this year! Ox Ox, BFC Brooklyn Fit ChickFollow me on Twitter:���BrooklynFitChik��� (note the spelling!)Friend me on Facebook: ���BrooklynFitChick