So, it's nearly the end of the year and the festive season is upon us, so a great opportunity to relax and slack off on the exercise for a while, right? Well, actually, the opposite is true, as this is the perfect time of year to keep on working out to make sure you don't undo all the positive changes you've made during 2014.

Without doubt the holiday season and New Year celebrations do bring changes.

There is nothing in the fitness rulebook that says that getting in shape cannot be both enjoyable and fun. Yes, you might face a physical, emotional and mental challenge in the process and totally transform your whole being, but the pleasure is in seeing great results.

It's one thing to be committing to an exercise regime but are you going through the motions or are you working out hard enough? Putting on your fitness gear and being active is commendable but unless you are working up a sweat you could be spending time on ineffective training.

As we get older and life seems to get more complex, not to mention busy, responsibilities at home and in our working lives can overwhelm, leaving us with what feels like precious little time to ourselves. It's easy to understand how exercise can take a back seat to other seemingly more pressing priorities.

Lack of exercise and also childbirth can all weaken the pelvic floor muscles in women. This can lead to problems which affect your quality of life. It's estimated that around one in three women have a weak pelvic floor and in the over 55s this number rises to half.

Planks are in the top 10 of the best abdominal exercises to do, according to to the American Council on Exercise. There's no doubt about it that planks have become a go-to strength exercise which has great benefits for the whole body. If you have not yet harnessed the power of the plank then it is time to find out what's so great about them!
What is a plank?
A plank is what is known as an isometric exercise, which means that during contraction you do not change the angle of the joint or the muscle length.

To really feel the benefit of a good workout you don't need to invest heavily in expensive equipment, if you join our fitness center. However, like many other women who get involved in regular exercise, you may need to check out your workout wardrobe first.

Women really are doing it for themselves! Whilst there is a preoccupation in magazines and in the media with what women should, could and would look like, there are many women who are focused on achieving happiness through living a balanced life and a healthy lifestyle.

Does anything scare you when it comes to your lifestyle and your level of fitness? Do you sometimes feel afraid that you are not doing enough to keep fit and that you might have to face a health scare in the future as a result? What about your diet? Is it filled with late night snacks or unhealthy bites, or is it wonderfully enlightened? If you are in the dark when it comes to whether you need to make positive changes with your exercise regime then it might be time to face fitness frights this Halloween!
Don't be scared!
People who put their head in the sand and ignore dealing with lifestyle issues are often scared of knowing what the reality of their situation is.

While we are all so similar in so many ways, we also have different needs when it comes to looking after our health. Women have different dietary requirements than men, for example, and it's important for women to recognize and respond to these nutritional differences.