Not all people are built alike. Due to our physiological makeup women do not lose weight as quickly as men do. Also there is more pressure on women to look a certain way and fit into a certain type of clothing style. Men, while they do have this pressure it is not as intense as the pressure that can be placed on us ladies. For some of us, obtaining our ideal fitness level is a dream that we think is out of our reach. This could not be further from the truth. As long as you are knowledgeable and willing to learn about your body, you will find that losing weight and gaining a healthy life might be one of the easiest things you ever do.

Before you even begin, the first thing you need to do, is get the word diet out of your head. A diet is temporary, which is the reason why so many women might find themselves failing. You need to look at new eating plans as a new way of life. If you go back to the way you used to eat , your chances of regaining the weight have increased. You need to change the way you eat for good. The problem is that most of us are always in a rush. We're in a rush to get to work, a rush to get to the store and a rush to get the body of our dreams. We're even in a rush to do our workouts. Due to this frantic pace we try to cut corners when it comes to losing weight. Experts say that a weight loss of 1-2 pounds a week is what we should expected. This seems to be not enough for us. We have to find diets, exercise programs and even diet pills that promise a weight loss of 5 or more pounds a week. The faster we lose it, the faster it can creep back on. Losing weight and getting healthy is the one area of our life where the saying “slow and steady wins the race” should really come into play.

So what is the first thing to look at on your quest to be fit? First, look at your eating habits. Are you eating healthy? Do your meals contain foods from all four of the food groups and included a lot of color? To make sure you are getting all that you need take a regular plate and fill half of it with fruits or vegetables. Then divide the other half of the plate into 2 portions with one side being your protein such as fish, poultry, or turkey and the other half is your carbs. Carbs are still a subject of big debates thanks to diet plans such as Atkins and South Beach. Keep in mind, carbs are not bad. Your body needs them to function. It is the type of carbs that you eat that will affect you. Try to limit your intake of white carbs such as white bread, and white rice. Instead stick with whole grains such as whole grain bread and brown rice. Not only are these healthier for you, they also tend to make you feel fuller.

Another very important aspect to let at when it comes to fitness is movement. This means exercise. Exercise if vital to your weight loss and your overall health. It is common sense that exercising burns calories and the more you exercise the more calories your body burns. Losing weight is done by getting rid of excessive calories. You can fit exercise into your day easily, you can take the stairs instead of the elevator at work. Not only will you be burning extra calories but you will also be toning your legs and glutes. You can do jumping jacks during TV commercials or even squats. Walk up and down your stairs a few times. All of this counts as exercise. Doctors will recommend you get at least 30 minutes of exercise 4x a week or more to reduce your fat. There are more benefits to exercise than just losing weight. Did you know that exercise promotes better sleep? Not only can it help you fall asleep later, it can also put you into a deeper sleep. If you are having trouble sleeping you might want to try late afternoon workouts. Exercise can also strengthen you heart and lungs by delivering oxygen and nutrients to your tissues.

It is not that hard to lose weight and increase your fitness level. Just take baby steps and the results and time will be worth it.

Copyright (c) 2007 Jess Harley