"New year, new me!"

That one sentence that so many people say throughout the last week of December. We all know come Jan. 1 that same person will do the same activities as before. Well, this year, I've decided to become a healthier zion. Don’t get me wrong, I am entirely comfortable in my skin, but the reality is,being plus size can lead to health problems; Those health problems can lead to money just flying out of your pockets.

This year, I decided to not only be healthier, but to find an affordable way of doing so. I used to be one of those people who said, “It’s cheaper to be fat.” And in some cases it is.

For the next few weeks, I want you to follow me on my journey of healthy living. Hopefully by following me, I can encourage you to live a more healthy lifestyle as well.

First things first, the sit down. This is where you sit down, and determine what you are going to cut out and add in. I know I needed a drastic change. I am a carnivore. I love meat! Especially thick, greasy, cheeseburgers,and fat, juicy steaks smothered in onions and mushrooms sizzling next to a heaping pile of fresh mashed potatoes loaded with butter.

Oh! It sounds good just thinking about it! These things, although very tasty, have negative effects on the body.

Someone asked Russell Simmons in a live video via Facebook, “What about baked chicken?” Russell responded, “Well if you like a lot of antibiotics, a lot of Prozac, a lot of growth hormones and — it's just not good. Nothing good about baked chicken. There’s nothing good about American Factory Farming Food. The American Factory Farming Industry is poisoning you. The corporations have paid our government to poison you. And it’s the reality.”

That's when I decided to make the change and become a vegetarian.

There are several different diet types. Vegans do not eat animals or anything that comes from animals. Such as butter or milk. Vegetarians do not eat meat, but they do partake in butter and eggs and things of that nature. Pescetarians eat seafood, but not the flesh of other animals.

I made my vegetarian decision based on the fact that I have been eating meat for 25 years and I need a complete flush of my system. I have never been a fan of vegetables that weren’t cooked in ham hocks or smoked turkey, but now is as good a time as any to learn some new tricks.

Next, schedule a workout plan. Being healthy is not just about eating right, it's about being in good physical shape. I have been to the chiropractor, and my doctor informed me that I have little, to no cartilage in my knees. Because of this, my knees hurt all the time. This is a great excuse I used for why I should not work out.

This year, there are no excuses!

I decided to schedule a workout that will fit my needs. On Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays I do a 30-minute abdominal workout with my cousin, Jasmine.

On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays I walk a mile with my childhood friend, Paulina. And Sundays I am back with Jasmine, walking a mile. My job has a 24- hour gym, so on my 15-minute breaks, I get on the treadmill and pump it out as hard and as fast as I can with my co-worker Yasmin (not pictured).

Now, I know what you’re thinking, “Zion, you need some rest days.” Well, for me, I did not schedule rest days because I factored in life happens. Jasmine is a kindergarten teacher, full-time college student and mother. Paulina is a behavior specialist for Suffolk Public Schools. The chances of them calling to cancel for unforeseen circumstances is high. Those will be my off days.

Also, realize that you can not do this alone. I have downloaded the app Lifesum. This app is free and is so helpful. I have convinced my workout partners to download it, as well. Enter your current weight and the weight you want to achieve — and your diet type and it will estimate how long it will take you to lose the weight and tell you how many calories you should eat per day.

I try to eat, per the app, 1,484 calories, 148 grams of carbohydrates, 93 grams of protein and 58 grams of fat per day.

I have linked Lifesum with my health app on my iPhone so it calculates my steps. I also enter my workouts. The more calories you burn, the more you can eat. I have not exactly mastered staying under 1,484 calories, so I make sure I am always staying active to burn off what I have over eaten.

This is the introduction to my new journey towards a healthier life.

Next week, I will share my results from my workouts. I was also approached by Mr. Steve Lenhard to try out a box of wraps from itWorks! Tune in for a review of my journey to get healthy and all the new things I'm trying.