Have you been thinking lately of getting back into a fitness routine? Perhaps you’ve wanted to join that new gym around the corner, but you’re just too self-conscious about going in there alone. Many women feel the same way that you do.

The first time I walked into that big room full of men and women working out amidst the noise of all those weights clashing together, I felt quite intimidated. Then I realized that they were there to get exercise, same as me and I had every right to be there too. Once I got through a couple of workouts I started to relax and feel more comfortable going by myself.

In the beginning, I couldn’t do anything close to the workout others there had mastered. I struggled with the weights, my muscles burned and I felt tired, hot and exhausted. I was getting lots of unsolicited advice from many of the experts at the gym, some saying I had to add more weights to see any results. I made friends and acquaintances this way, but I kept my senses when it came to taking too much advice.

I found that the more I exercised, the better I felt. The better I felt, the more I wanted to exercise. It wasn’t long before I was actually looking forward to working out. Exercises and moves that in the beginning were almost impossible to do became warm-ups to the more advanced exercises that my body began to crave. Rather than feeling exhausted after a workout, I felt revived and refreshed, ready to take on the day.

Exercise changed the way that I felt about myself. It provides an outlet for the stress of daily challenges and it offers visible differences in the way my body looks. I have more energy now, and with three boys and a husband, I need to keep going all day long.

I believe exercise can add positive benefits to your life too. In this day and age, women have many different opportunities to exercise. You can join a local gym, maybe someplace convenient to your office or home. This way it will be easy to visit often. If you don’t care for gyms, try organizing a walk group with people at work. There’s usually someone there who, like you, is looking for an outlet to exercise. If neither appeal to you, start exercising at home or engage in aerobic activities, such as walking, running, cycling, swimming or playing any sport that increases your heart rate.

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Do you want to lose weight? Is there a particular reason why? Women have several reasons for wanting to lose weight and get into better shape. Sometimes it’s because we’ve encountered some health problems and the doctor has advised us to change our diet and begin an exercise program. Other ladies may be seeking a way to get back into exercising after the birth of a baby or some other deterrence from physical activity. Whatever your reason, getting back into or starting a fitness program begins with inspiration.

You know you were meant for something special. You know that your life is not complete in its present state. That is why you are searching for inspiration from like-minded people. Women who, like you, are making a life-changing decision to change the way their body looks.

You are a doer, a giver, a woman with a high level of self-reliance. There is only one thing standing in your way of success … getting the body that you desire.

Why put it off any longer? Toss aside any doubts you have about yourself and begin today. You can lose weight. You can have a beautifully shaped body.

All it takes to get in shape is 30 minutes a day. Just 30 minutes of exercise each day, followed by a diet of whole healthy and delicious foods, will put you on the road to success.

When you transform your appearance, the way that you perceive yourself will change too. You will feel confident knowing that you have the power to revolutionize your body and take control of your mind.

Family, friends and foes will notice the new you. Many will give you words of praise, while others may choose to cut you down. You will need to surround yourself with positive affirmations to keep you focused on your goal.

Are you ready for a change? Take the 90-day challenge to Empower Beauty. Let today be day one. Be sure to keep track of your current weight and measurements, maintain a diet and fitness journal to keep you accountable and stay the course for at least 90 days.

You can do it! Conceive it, believe it, achieve it!

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Are members of your family obese? Do you look at them and say to yourself, “my family’s overweight and I’ll be overweight too?” It doesn’t have to be that way. You can break the curse, you can change the way your body retains fat and burns calories.

Sure, certain body types are prone to fatty deposits and body shapes. But, you can control what you eat and by combining strength training with aerobic exercise, you can sculpt and tone your body into a work of art, no matter what its shape!

First though, you have got to get a clear picture of the body that you want. You have got to see yourself clearly as the person you want to be. A thinner, prettier you, gliding along life’s path, rather than trudging along.

Losing weight is so much more than shedding pounds. It signals a level of success for a journey that is sometimes long and hard. With the triumph of weight loss comes an overwhelming amount of self-satisfaction and confidence. For some, the excess weight may have been the only obstacle standing in their way of happiness.

Get a new vision of yourself. Start a journal and begin writing down your goals. How much weight do you want to lose, or better yet, what size clothes do you want to wear? Give yourself permission to daydream about how you will look once you reach your goals.

As you work toward your ideal body shape, you will be rewarded on an ongoing basis. You will find some of your tight clothes suddenly begin to fit better; some of the others may become too big and need alterations. Keep trying on those old favorite jeans, if you’ve got a pair, or anything that you might have outgrown along the way, you could be pleasantly surprised.

Break the curse, the one that is holding you back. The one that is keeping you focused on failures in your past instead of looking ahead to the success of a bright future. You were created for wonderful things … don’t let anything stand in your way of your dreams.

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When you’re feeling down or disappointed in yourself for some reason, you might find that exercise can help to alleviate those emotions and help you to recover your positive outlook.

When we don’t have a physical outlet for all of the challenges we face, it sometimes bottles up inside of us, leaving us feeling drained, anguished or extremely sad. Sometimes, just taking a walk or a bike ride can help to ease the darkened mood and lift your spirit.

When I began training other ladies to meet their fitness goals, I was astounded at the lack of confidence and the amount of self-loathing that these women had. Many were successful in their careers and had loving families, yet they felt inferior just because of their weight. Some of them had just given up after having children and no longer felt attractive. What I found very peculiar was that a lot of them were barely overweight, yet they carried a very low opinion of the way that they looked.

As they began to exercise and gain more control over their bodies, the transformation was remarkable. I had the opportunity to work with these women to help them achieve feats they never thought possible. Helping them to build their confidence, did wonders for my own.

I recommended that they keep track of what they were eating, drinking and their physical activities every day. I asked them to notate how they felt about their bodies when they started the program and to keep updating it as they advanced.

When they realized what they could accomplish, they were astonished. These were women who had not been active for years, but now found themselves getting stronger, becoming thinner and learning to Empower Beauty®.

How are you feeling today? Could you use a lift in your spirit? Begin an exercise program today. Take a walk, go for a run, jump rope or play a game of tennis with a friend. You’ll be doing your body, mind and spirit good.

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Is your workout routine getting boring? Are you having trouble staying motivated? It could be time for a change. You may need to mix things up a bit and improve your game.

Choosing different aerobic activities can keep your workout fresh and exciting. Try something new. There are many activities to choose from, you are only limited by your imagination. Unless of course it’s something not offered in your area and traveling to experience it is out of the question.

Vow to learn at least one new sport or exercise each week. Give it your best shot, you won’t know if you like it unless you try it. Mastering different sports and activities will make you a much more fascinating person. People will be interested in what you are learning and how you are accomplishing all your goals.

To get more experience with a sport that you like, consider joining a team to expand your skills. Tennis teams can be great fun with players of different levels. Softball, volleyball and even golf are but a few sports that have organized games for adult women.

If games are not your favorite choice of activity, maybe you prefer solitary aerobics such as walking, running or cycling. Well these exercises need not be hum-drum either. Mix them up, take that activity to the next level by adding weights and extending the length of time that you spend engaged in it.

Learn Pilates exercises. If you want the long and sensuous body of a dancer, if you want to add strength, flexibility and stamina to your workout, learn to do Pilates exercises. It’s a whole mind and body experience that will open up a whole new world of fitness.

Incorporate strength training to your workout regimen. Challenge yourself each week with new goals. Learn new exercises that will give you the results that you seek. Choose a program with detailed descriptions on how to do each exercise so that you can practice at home or away. Teaching yourself new tricks will help to keep you mentally and physically fit.

The Fitness4Her Diet and Exercise program has a complete fitness plan that incorporates an upper body, lower body and total body workout. Combined with a diet plan of nourishing foods and a journal that helps you realize your results, this program will help you to lose weight and get in shape in as little as 30 minutes a day.

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