My riding instructor recently asked me what I would recommend to help her lose the extra body fat that has accumulated around her middle this winter. She told me that she works at being fit, gets plenty of cardio, but needs some ideas for abdominal work to reduce her waistline. Her question was one I often hear from people who are struggling with problem areas in their quest for fitness. The question also suggested the subject for this month’s column — how to get the best results from your efforts to get fit.

The first thing to consider when mapping out a plan of attack for problem areas is what I call the "grab factor." If you can grab more than one inch of body fat in an area, you’ll need to reduce the amount of food you’re eating to reduce the body fat. Attacking the problem by focusing on abdominal work such as "crunches" will tone the muscles underneath the layer of fat so they will take up less space in your clothing, but the part that "jiggles" will remain until you cut back on the groceries!

There are many ways to reduce your intake level besides extreme dieting. Conventional wisdom seems to suggest that the more subtle the changes are, and the more slowly the weight comes off, the longer lasting the results will be. I’ve heard lots of creative ideas for this approach — among them: commit to using a salad-size plate rather than a dinner plate for your portions. Or, take the French approach — tell yourself ahead of the meal that you get to taste a little bit of everything so you won’t feel deprived, then eat it as slowly as possible so you have time to feel full before you overeat. Build in little rewards each day to inspire yourself to stick to your commitment to eat less — look forward to a small, guilt-free treat and it will be easier to pass up the extras at other meals. Another way to structure a change in your eating habits is to budget your food for the times of day you feel hungrier than others. If dinner is your weakness, cut back your portions for breakfast and lunch, then enjoy a normal dinner. Maybe 5 or 6 small meals would work better for you than three squares. Whatever your approach to change, a small, consistent effort will pay off in the long run.

Now, what about your choice of workout? Yoga, Pilates, stretching, weight training and spot toning are all beneficial, but be sure that you include some sort of aerobic activity in your overall plan. To get the most from your aerobic exercise, figure out your target heart rate. The easy way to compute this is to subtract your age from 220 (that’s your maximum heart rate. Don’t work out at this level!!) — then multiply that figure by 60% and 80%. For example, if you’re 50, your MHR is 220 minus 50, or 170. Next, multiply 170 by 0.6 (for the low end of your target heart rate) and by 0.8 (for the high end), which will give you a range of 102 - 136. Take your pulse at intervals during your workout. Your heart rate should remain within these two boundaries throughout your workout.

If you don’t have the time or temperament for long workouts, consider more frequent, 10 minute sessions. A recent study found that nine, 10-minute sessions per week yields the same cardio benefits as three weekly 30-minute sessions. You may find it easier to fit these mini-workouts in during coffee breaks and lunch hours. Make your efforts brisk and enjoy the knowledge that your mini sessions will show great results.

As you can see from the mini sessions mentioned above, it really doesn’t take a huge change to make a difference in how you look and feel. With a mind-set that embraces small changes in diet and exercise, you can improve your health and fitness in no time!