Use the warmer weather this spring as motivation to begin losing weight and burning fat. Having more daylight, more sunshine and warmer weather puts us in a happier mood. Take advantage of this happy mood and feel even better by starting regular exercise habits.

Weight loss goals for the spring season are pretty much the same as any other time. However, sometimes during the spring, we are ready to make some positive changes in our lives. So, while you're making positive changes, set your weight loss and fat loss goals!

Here are some tips to spring forward with your weight loss:

1. Goal number one never changes: make a lifetime commitment to health and fitness. This one commitment is the foundation for your future weight loss success. It will carry you through the setbacks and failures.

While making that lifetime commitment, make an honest assessment of why your weight loss goals have failed in the past. Scheduling a free assessment with a trainer can help you with this process. You will also visualize realistic and challenging goals at this time.

2. Get ready to change your eating habits. You will need to comply (at least 90 percent of the time) with a healthy meal plan based on your basal metabolic rate.

3. Be a more active person. This includes your regular workouts. Being active also means you will move more during the day. All movement burns calories. Walking as much as you can during the day will help you reach your weight loss goals.

4. If you are a cardio-only person, you must do regular strength training to build muscle, burn fat, speed up your metabolism, lose weight and keep it off!

5. Jumpstart your exercise habit by training for a charity walk or run. Sometimes it helps to have something to look forward to as extra motivation. Get a buddy to join you and that makes it even more fun!

6. Try a group exercise class like kickboxing or spinning for fun and support.

7. Buy an exercise video that you like and save time by exercising at home.

8. Join a local soccer, basketball or other recreational league team. When you play a game, its fun. You don’t think of games as exercise.

9. If you have been exercising and just need a routine change, try dancing or swimming. These two fun, full-body activities burn tons of calories.

Spring forward and begin to change your body to lean and toned!

Mark Dilworth, BA, PES, CPT is a Certified Personal Trainer and former NCAA Division I athlete. Mark’s Fat Blaster Athletic Training System has been proven to give his clients the fit, sculpted and athletic-type bodies they want. Visit Mark’s sites:

My Fitness Hut http://myfitnesshut.blogspot.com
Her Fitness Hut http://herfitnesshut.com
Sports Fitness Hut http://sportsfitnesshut.blogspot.com