With so much high-fat, high-calorie, not to mention, high-sugar foods so easily at hand, it is no big surprise that many women suffer with a weight problem. However, to eat healthily it is not just a matter of women eating less but understanding how their diets need to differ from men and what their nutritional needs are.

Kids who keep fit and active are not only faster when it comes to muscle power and agility but also have faster nerve activity in their brains too, according to a recent study. The University of Illinois and Beckman Institute research found aerobic fitness created more fibrous and compact white-matter in youngsters in the tracts in the brain that are connected to attention and memory.

Motivation might be all in the mind, springing from your attitudes, approach and focus but it might also be in the brain too! Recent research suggests an area of the brain which controls your motivation to work out might have been discovered. The Seattle Children's Research Institute study is interesting as a person who is motivated to work out can enhance their mood and this in turn could help researchers develop more targeted treatments in the fight against depression.

The power of positive thought doesn't just lie in feeling enthusiastic and adopting a can-do attitude, although of course that helps; for positivity to be really effective it has to run far deeper and not just be a face-value sentiment that pays lip service to the idea of feeling motivated about exercise.

Even if you absolutely love everything to do with keeping fit and working out, everybody needs a touch of inspiration to fuel their motivation levels. What gets you going and what keeps you going? Or are you still stuck in the stalls planning ahead but never quite starting? Whether you feel you can't, have come to a standstill on a fitness plateau or are lacking the gumption in the first place, you need to feel inspired!

The best fitness motivation you can find is to set goals and follow a clear strategy which is manageable, achievable and enjoyable.

Going for a run seems to have somehow lost its standing in the exciting mix of exercise programs. However, a new study suggests that not only can running promote longevity, you don't have to commit to an intense amount of sprinting at a fast pace to really reap the health benefits.

When you're focusing on health and fitness and leading a more balanced lifestyle, what becomes clear is that you need to have a plan in place if you want to achieve any real change. As with every aspect of life, realizing dreams takes more than imagination and improvements and transformations come with setting goals and putting in place techniques to reach these ambitions.

If you are suffering with a chronic condition but still want to keep fit and feel better or are coming out the other side of an illness, then you may not necessarily feel like hitting a workout. However, with the right approach, including medical advice, you may find that exercise can be a valuable tool in your rehabilitation.

How does exercise shape the quality of our cognitive functions? Does keeping in shape mean that you also keep your memory in a fit state too? If you struggle to retain information could it be directly related to your fitness levels? There's so much research yet to come in this area but one recent study adds to the growing opinion that sedentary lifestyles can affect people's minds.

Pain is subjective; each of us has a certain threshold at which point the intensity of a stimulus is at a level where we perceive pain. In fitness, people talk about pushing beyond the pain barrier and working out outside your comfort zone. Certainly to achieve results you need to challenge yourself physically and mentally.