If you packed on a few pounds over the winter months, join the club. Bulky sweaters and snowsuits hide a bit of extra pudge. Coupled with rich holiday dishes, the desire to eat heary comfort foods when the weather is cold, and the inability to get outside and workout, and you have a recipe for fat disaster. Some people experience mood disorders during this time and they have a difficult time motivating themselves to get to the gym. Others use snacks loaded with carbohydrates because they are depressed Any of this sounds like you, it may be time for a change now, as winter draws to a close. The first step is to assess the battle you have created for yourself. Hop on the gram scale or weighing scales in your home and see how much damage you did over the winter season. Even a few pounds will alter your appearance and health. You can also slip into summer clothes to see what needs to be done to get you back in shape. Once you understand the battle, you can put together a fitness plan that, if begun now, will have you feeling and looking your best in a few months when swimsuit season rolls around. All you need is a bit of motivation and a desire to improve your quality of living.

Whether it is a few pounds you need to lose or a bit more than that, exercise should be in the future. This is especially true if a dramatic weight loss is ahead of you and you lose a large amount of weight in a short time. You want to build muscle while losing fat, otherwise you will find your body shapeless and flabby. In some cases all you will need is a boost in exercise. A firm, toned body that is a few pounds overweight may be more attractive and feel better than being your ideal weight and not having the ability to make it up the steps without getting winded. Even if the weather is still too cold and miserable to get outside working out, exercise inside. Join a gym or buy a fitness video. If you hate fitness rules, fit it in other places. Use the staircase in your home more than usual, park further away from your destination so you walk more, and use housecleaning as an exercise tool.

Once you are moving more, you may only need a few adjustments to your diet to make a big difference. Get your sweet tooth under control, cut back on white flour like that found in pasta and white bread, and cut out sugary juice and soft drinks. Before you know it you will be ready to slip into your swimsuit.