So the season is coming to a close. The cold weather is upon us and outdoor boot camp is coming to an end. It has been a pleasure working with everyone, and over 200 classes later it's time for me to take a break. My goal is to revise Boot Camp into a more comprehensive program for 2009. I would like to include pre & post assessments, nutritional information and much more. I plan to take the next two months to make some modifications and then hopefully start up classes again indoors in early January. Thanks to all of you for your continued support. I will keep you all up to date when classes will resume.

You may be afraid to step on the scale but research shows that regularly monitoring your weight is a successful tool in weight management. It's not about an obsession with the scale, but preventing a 5 pound weight gain from turning into a 20 pound disaster. Use it as your personal coach and weigh yourself a few mornings a week under the same conditions.

Don't get fixated on a number. Hydration, high sodium foods or even your menstrual cycle can affect your daily water weight. Instead look for trends that support your goals. If you are in a maintenance phase, stay within a 5 pound buffer zone. If you are trying to lose weight, look for a gradual decrease over time. If you see trends taking you away from that goal make sure you have a plan to address it.

Eveyone is asking about exercises to help tone their midsection. Unfortunetly there is no way to target weight loss to a specific area. Our bodies decide where to put weight on and where to take it off. The problem with the midsection is it tends to be the first place we gain weight and the last place we lose it.

The best way to lose fat is to burn calories through cardiovascular exercise. It is also important to do strength training because that increases your muscle mass and makes your metabolism faster. It is important to do a variety of abdominal exercises (including crunches) to keep your core strong, but until that excess fat is gone, you will not see the muscle definition. So if you’re not doing cardio, crunches are not going to help get the six-pack you’ve been hoping for. Regular cardio exercise at a level that’s challenging for you is your best bet.