If you're looking to lose temporary weight, for maybe a sporting event or special occasion, dieting can be an option - albeit an unhealthy one. Dieting for a short time can cause problems - the body learns to cope with a lower food intake, then stores large amounts of food once the normal food intake is returned. Hence, people will often get even bigger after finishing a short-term diet. The next step can then be another diet and off we go again - the yoyo dieter.

Weight shouldn't be a consideration for most people. We often hear of an ideal weight, or BMI index (height to weight ratio). These are ridiculous measures as we are all so different - the same size bones can be twice the weight from one person to another, then there's muscle mass and density etc..

What matters to most of us is what we see in the mirror - are we carrying too much fat. Getting rid of excess fat is important (excess fat only, we need some to be healthy). Here's the basics: we eat calories and we burn them off being alive. The more alive we are, the more calories we burn.

If you continue to eat the same food but add more activity to your life, you'll shed fat. More activity = more fat loss.

Muscle eats fat - even when you're asleep. Adding muscle helps the body in so many ways. I get angry when I hear (sorry, but it's nearly always from women) "I don't want to end up all muscley" (I know it's not a real word - but that's what I hear). They seem to have this worry that lifting a weight once a week will result in a sudden Rambo physique. Aside from being deeply offensive to the people that work extremely hard to be muscled, it really doesn't happen like that.

Tightening the muscle mass you already have will start fat loss, but this doesn't mean you have to join a gym. Press-ups, playing the drums, walking up and down stairs, tennis, climbing, swimming - even 5 minutes of something a day can really make a difference.

All most of us need is a change in lifestyle, but one that can be maintained. Before starting you should consider that this is what you need to do forever - not just for four to eight weeks! Likewise, if you choose the exercise route (my recommendation), are you doing something you can imagine doing forever? Can you afford to do this forever? Are you relying on someone that may not want to do this forever?

PTs (Personal Trainers) - OMG!

I know there are some amazing personal trainers out there, however, make sure you find one with some common sense. We see many working around our local gyms and most of them really make me boil.

Many PTs like to make themselves indispensible - they care more about your money than your goals. Easy trick number one - your PT will choose exercises that you can't do on your own. Grrrr! Not necessary! If your exercise needs two people, you've just doubled the chances of having to miss it for some reason.

Bad PTs will drag out the sessions as they're paid by the hour. They choose to isolate parts of the body - rather than an exercise that would cover twice as much in half the time.

A serious PT will get an idea of your ability level, then give you a plan to take away and do on your own, maybe after going through with you once. Then you go back periodically for evaluation.

If you need the extra push or enjoy the company then have them train with you, but watch out for the signs that they're just taking advantage.