Are you the sort of person who dances through life or do you tend to shuffle along at a slow pace? Well dance is a high-energy way of really changing your life. Dance classes can get your body moving to the rhythm of fitness and inspire a more energized approach to life.

It might still be November, just, but the New Year is fast approaching and rather than try and change your lifestyle for the better on the first day of January, why not plan ahead? In the final few weeks leading up to the end of 2013 make it the season to make positive change and get ready to start 2014 with some new, healthy improvements.

While much of the Western world might be getting fatter, there is definitely societal pressure to keep fit and stay in shape. If you fail then the result is feeling a failure and this can lead to a spiral effect down toward a bad diet and lack of activity.

Are you still partying like it's 1999? If you "get" this song reference then perhaps it's a sign that you've been enjoying the overindulgent side of life for quite some time now! Are you a graduate of the Class of '99, and still reserving your weekends for drinks and socialising?  Is the last of your youthful energy being spent on dancefloors rather than in gyms? Then perhaps it's time for a bit of a lifestyle change.

A bad workman blames his tools, so the saying goes, and when it comes to many aspects of life it is easy to look around for someone to point the finger of failure at than to look closer to home. Think about times when you've started a health and fitness plan and not quite followed through.

High intensity training (HIT) was developed as a technique for building strength and potentially size through using weights. High intensity interval training (HIIT) is a variation on a theme and designed to really get your cardio system going with short, intense workouts that bring the muscles to the point of fatigue.

Body images of women have changed with fluctuating trends over the years, and amongst the media images and fashions of the day, there are real women considering what they want too. So what do women actually want when it comes to their fitness and their bodies? Is it all about being slim and trim, or more about being toned and improving function? What motivates women to keep fit today?

Exercise Vs Women?

In 1912 Harpers & Bazaar magazine asked women: 'Are Athletics a Menace to Motherhood?' Over the years, this idea of exercise potentially working against women's best interest has been evident, with question marks over fertility and fitness.

Toddlers as young as two, with unhealthy profiles, could have greater risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) when they're older. So says a large-scale European study which recommends activity guidelines for the under-9s. This latest research adds to the already worrying trend that obesity in children is on the rise and that many youngsters are simply not doing enough.

A great plus point that drives many fitness seekers to the expertise of a personal trainer is the motivation having your very own fitness guru can bring. Having to answer to one other person and have a committed trainer on hand, focusing on you, can definitely transform your body, your mind and your lifestyle.

Any mom knows just how exhausting a new baby can be, so surely pregnancy is a time to put your feet up, isn't it? This is the time when you relax and do as little as possible, making the most of the relative calm before the storm of nappies and sleepless nights.