Simple steps will have you getting in shape fast!

A balanced diet is a key part of any weight control plan. A diet high in complex carbohydrates and moderate in protein and fat is a good complement to a healthy exercise program. Your diet should include enough calories to satisfy your daily nutrient requirements and include the proper number of servings per day from the "basic four food groups": vegetables and fruits (4 servings), breads and cereals (4 servings), milk and milk products (2 - 4 depending on age) and meats and fish (2).

Adding 15 minutes of moderate exercise, say walking one mile, to your daily schedule will use up 100 extra calories per day. (Your body uses approximately 100 calories of energy to walk one mile, depending on your body weight.) Maintaining this schedule would result in an extra 700 calories per week used up, or a loss of about 10 pounds in one year, assuming your food intake stays the same. To look at energy balance another way, just one extra slice of bread or one extra soft drink a day – or any other food that contains approximately 100 calories – can add up to ten extra pounds in a year if the amount of physical activity you do does not increase.

The solution is simple. Skip on the soda and the sugar laden, empty calories. Start eating healthy and getting plenty of exercise. The quickest way to lose weight is with daily exercise and eating healthy!

A good cardio - or aerobic - workout at least four or five days a week will have you on the road to getting in shape fast.