There are those among us who wish to lose a few pounds rather than 20 or more pounds. While many of us would be grateful if that were the case for us, most will find that the smaller the amount of weight needed to lose the more difficult it seems to remove. The good news is that those with little weight to lose generally do not face the painful issues with exercise and physical activity that plague those with far more weight to lose.

There are some great products on the market that will assist those with relatively little weight to lose enjoy the weight loss process without feeling deprived. The new market of 100-calorie snacks is an excellent tool for just this situation. You can get the treats you need to get you through the day without exactly packing on the pounds in the process. You can count calories to no end but if you have only a few pounds to reach your goal weight and aren't delighted with your tight and tone new body, then perhaps it's best to work on tightening and toning rather than more dieting.

The thing that far too many people forget along the way is that dieting can only get you so far when it comes to results. There will come a time when weight training and cardio exercises of some sort are the only thing that is going to get you to the body you so rightly desire. Dieting is good for dropping the pounds, but dieting alone is unlikely to bring you the body of your dreams. You should also keep in mind that exercising and ramping up your fitness routine is a great way to renew your dedication to the process and your enthusiasm. This is particularly true if you have found a fitness routine that is appealing to you.

The fitness routines of today are not the tired old aerobics workout of the 1980's. You have many options ranging from kick boxing, Tae Bo, Yoga, Pilates, and even belly dancing for those that dare. The point is that you are not as limited as you may think when it comes to entertaining options for your workout routine. Find a workout that you can actually be excited about doing and do it. There is a lot of truth to the old Nike commercials that boldly proclaimed: "Just Do It". Whatever it may be in your fitness routine, it will not do itself. You must be an active participant in your weight loss and fitness endeavors in order to achieve any results that will be favorable.

Whether your weight loss and dieting goals are to shed a few pounds or many pounds along the way it is quite likely that you will at some point reach a plateau in which you discover that you need to ramp up either your level of physical activity or calorie burning methods or you will need to ramp up your calorie cutting exercises. Either way, dealing with the setback is almost as important as your decision to lose those pounds in the first place. Get back in the game and renew your efforts. In no time you should have lost those few pounds that you were hoping to lose and established the body you were aiming to create.