It’s a proven fact that women get motivated to get out there and get in shape in a different way then men go about it. But for both genders, that thing that makes you get out of bed and get down to the gym which is your motivation system will be the key to your success in your exercise program. And if you have a firm vision of what you want out of your exercise program, you will know every step of the way if it is working for you.

Men’s exercise programs are specific to a man’s body and mentality so they usually focus on weight lifting and building muscle. Guys get a real rush from power lifting kinds of work outs and it seems to fit with that “pump you up” mentality that men like to use for their motivation for getting in shape.

So it’s natural that women’s exercise programs are focused on other motivations for getting in shape. And if you ask all the women at the gym what is the big motivation, it usually is the desire to lose a few pounds. That is why a woman’s workout must include a mixture of exercises which includes some cardio work outs combined with weight room exercises that are specifically focused on stretching and toning the tummy.

But the majority of the emphasis in a weight loss program will be on cardio workouts which will include jogging, walking, swimming and active sports such as tennis. These exercises should be used in a healthy balance with weight and stretching programs so as to see real progress.

Any weight loss program that is going to work combines all of the factors of good diet control, cardio exercises, thorough stretching and some weight exercises so that you build muscle as the fat melts away. But even if your program is perfectly tuned to your goals and your body type, that is not enough to make you a success in your exercise program. To do that you have to find the motivation to stick with it over a period of weeks and months so we have to make sure exercise is fun, or at least something to look forward to if we ever expect to succeed.

Fun is underrated when it comes to exercise but anyone who does great at working out and losing weight finds ways to make their time of exercise fun. And that means you probably will be exercising with someone. While men can run alone and be fine with that, women as a rule as social animals and we do much better if we work out with people we like or belong to a woman’s only gym. And if we combine the strong socialization we need and enjoy with a program that has a lot of variety in it in terms of types of exercises, we fight off boredom and are more likely to stick with it.

So you might alternate between swimming, a team sport like volleyball or tennis, jogging and other fun activities to keep each work out period fun and interesting. Similarly your trainer can help you develop a variety of weight training workouts using a variety of machines each that has a different focus so even your time “on the machines” doesn’t get too repetitive.

By making the investment of some planning and thinking about how to put together an exercise program that woks for you, you will see your weight come down, your stamina go up and your overall health and quality of life improve. Before long exercise won’t just be a program but a way a life you cannot imagine going without and you will be a healthy and happy girl in every aspect of life. And that is worth the effort of getting your program working today for a better tomorrow.