When we feel we are getting a bit heavier and larger than we would like it is natural that we consider going on a diet to get rid of those unbecoming rolls of fat around our waistline. After all we have been conditioned for years or decades that the cause of those rolls is that we have been eating too much food. We believe that all we have to do is eat less and they will disappear right?

The fact is 95% of all diets fail. With such a high failure rate why do we persist in what could be likened to banging our heads against a brick wall? Diets cause misery, restriction, deprivation and really punish the soul. How could this be something we would want to live with long term? Do you ever say to someone "what diet are you living with?"

The minute you reduce your food intake your body thinks it is going to starve and slows the metabolic rate (the rate your body burns fuel) to a crawl to match the new lowered food intake. The same thing happened to our ancestors when food was short. No problem, the body simply slowed or shut down systems and processes to conserve energy.

You simply do not know at which point this is going to happen as it is different for everyone. Even if you eat 100 calories less than your body needs it will flip the switch and you can kiss goodbye to fat loss and say hello to constant fatigue, food cravings, and depression. This is not a recipe for living a vital, strong, vibrant, energetic and healthy life.

If you want a lean, slim, strong and healthy body you need to boost your body's systems not shut them down. You want your metabolism firing on all cylinders like a super charged sports car not a broken down motor scooter.

There is one guaranteed way to do this, a proper exercise program performed 2-3 times per week. That alone will knock your metabolic engine back into shape and chew into those unwanted fat stores. But not any old exercise will do, forget walking, jogging or any other cardio type, steady state, long, slow, boring, mind numbing exercise.

Strength training exercise is what you need, whether or not you like it. It really doesn't matter if you don't like it as this is what will work. Your only other option is to keep your rolls of fat permanently and even add to them as the years tick by. This is not a good option as it will lessen the quality of your life and expose you to greater risk of disease.

Make no mistake strength training is not doing biceps curls with a couple of tins of baked beans in front of the television as some so called fitness experts will tell you. To get real results it involves a proper program set up and monitored by a fitness professional with real qualifications and real experience.

This program must ensure that the right exercises are used that work multiple muscle groups together in a full body workout and progression (improvements in strength) must be made in each exercise over a period of time.

Other factors that need to be right are the correct amount of resistance and number of repetitions used along with the correct level of intensity generated (degree of difficulty) when performing the exercises. The program will need to be changed every few weeks to stop the body becoming used to the same routine thereby slowing progress and results.

You will need to learn these new skills if you wish to reverse the increasing body fat accumulation. Think of it a part time job, the more you learn and experience the better equipped you will be. But you will have this new knowledge for the rest of your one and only life so at least you can live it with energy, strength, vitality and happiness that only a slimmer, healthier disease proof body will almost guarantee you.