Many people find that keeping their weight down to a healthy level is very difficult for them and it is often beyond a lot of people. There are many methods out there that are supposed to help you cut down on your weight. These range from crash diets involving quirky food, which is not a good idea, to medications designed to burn off fat, to radical new age psychic methods of self hypnosis for fat burning.

Okay, fine. Let's get back to reality... you can't wish and vibrate fat away, and miracle pills might work, but they generally have unhealthy side effects, so these are not a healthy option. If you really want to reduce your weight and keep it down then it is better to do it in a healthy way, the simple rule is you have to work for it as there is no quick fix. This involves the one weight loss method that is actually the most effective but the one that a vast majority of people dread: Exercise! But exercise alone will not work. You must also get rid of any poor eating habits and introduce new healthy ones. Good nutrition is equally as important as exercise.

Before rushing out and buying yourself a pair of running shoes though, consult with your doctor and get a health check to make sure that you're in fit enough shape to exercise strenuously. Ask your doctor's advice and find out what levels of strain, wear and tear you can put yourself through without risking your health.

If you prefer to make it easy on yourself, start slow. Brisk walks and jogging are nice easy cardiovascular (CV) exercises that help get rid of excess fat slowly. You can take this at your own pace; remember, how fast you lose weight is directly proportional to the amount of effort involved. Even something as simple as walking up flights of stairs at the office instead of taking an elevator can be incorporated into part of your daily weight loss routine. Remember that CV exercise will also burn muscle, which you don't want to lose.

While CV exercise is great for the hart and lungs, a more effective form of exercise for fat burning is resistance exercise...or exercising with weights. Joining a gym or health club is a good way to do this because you have access to a wide range of equipment and they have instructors to set you up with a workout plan. They will also show you the proper techniques for using free weights etc. Resistance exercise is great because it helps to increase muscle and therefore, burn more fat. Fat loss is far more important than weight loss, although for a lot of people who have a lot of excess weight, the fat loss will also include weight loss.

Don't get too fixated on the scales, as 'weight' includes healthy weight like muscle and water, which you don't want too lose. A much better measure is to get your body fat measured before you start any exercise program and then periodically after. That way you can measure your fat loss. Replacing fat with muscle is the way to go...And, no ladies, most of you will not get big and muscley working out with weights, simply because you don't have enough testosterone, which is the muscle building hormone in your bodies. Female bodybuilders that get big and muscley take steroids which mimic testosterone.

Next on the exercise agenda after you've got your walking, jogging and weights habits down is callisthenics.

Crunches are one of the best, as opposed to sit-ups; crunches are medically proven to be healthier and easier on the body, even as they burn up more fat. To do crunches, lie on the floor, lock your legs straight, and raise your feet and upper body simultaneously, bending at the waist. Sit-ups are not as good as they primarily work the hip flexor muscles rather than the abdominals.

Essentially, you form a shallow letter V. Start with small repetitions, pace yourself, and don't raise your feet or head more than a foot above the ground. Crunches are a great way to target the stomach or abdominals, which is a problem area for most of us. Variations on crunches include raising only your legs, to target your lower abdomen, or raising only your head and upper body to target higher abdominal muscle groups. Twisting crunches involve turning your upper body alternately with each crunch and target love handles. Crunches are just one example of callisthenics. There are other exercises that are meant to target other body parts. Find a gym with a good callisthenics instructor and visit it regularly.

Another approach to weight loss and getting in shape is to engage in classic sports. Any good sport will eventually help you lose weight; if there is one that you actually like engaging in, go for it. Assuming you don't have a preference, however, try biking and rowing. These two activities burn off fat and replace it with lean muscle, and are quite exhilarating.

Other great physical activities for weight reduction involve ones that require great amounts of neuromuscular activity. These sharpen reflexes as well as burning off fat. Some of the best examples of these activities are dancing, martial arts, fencing, and gymnastics. Because of the greater need for dexterity and agility in these sports, a person who trains in them naturally develops a much higher metabolic rate.

Also, since the emphasis in these arts is in rapid, efficient movement, the burn rate of calories is a lot higher than regular sports. However, these arts are also the most demanding, not only physically, but also in terms of mental alertness and coordination. They are not for everyone, but if you want an exercise that will help you lose weight fast and keep it off, you can't go wrong with them.

That's pretty much it in a nutshell. Don't come up with excuses. Most people claim that they either don't have the time, the equipment, or the opportunity to exercise and lose weight.

In truth, opportunities are always available. Even taking just the first option, and spending 30 minutes a day walking, will eventually make you lose weight.

The important thing is to stop telling yourself that it's something you can't do. You can burn the fat off; it just takes a bit of persistence. Get your priorities sorted out, if you don't make exercise and a healthy diet a priority you may get a wake up call to prompt you too. Or worse...your children could lose a parent early.

If you put the wrong fuel in your car, you won't get very far. Putting the wrong fuel (poor nutrition) in your body, it may take a few decades to let you down.

Remember, a healthy lifestyle will not only add years to your life, it will add life to your years.