Perhaps you were once a competitive runner, a heavy lifter, a football quarterback or a dancing queen. But as the demands of work, kids and life crept in during your 30s and 40s, fitness fell by the wayside.

That upcoming event for which you want to look your very best is only three weeks away -- but that doesn't mean you can drop a significant amount of weight by then.

When you're looking to lose weight, a reliable scale is a must. Whether you prefer a new digital scale, a dial scale or an old fashioned medical office scale, each can provide accurate results when you read the results carefully.

If the fat around your midsection makes it necessary for you to inhale deeply as you struggle to buckle your belt each morning, you've got reason to breathe easy.

Dropping from a size 16 to a size 12 won't happen overnight, but it's a doable goal. With the right diet and changes in your exercise program, it is possible to drop those two sizes. Exactly how many pounds it will take will vary based on the amount of fat and muscle you have, and where the fat is located on your body.

Green tea gained popularity due to its role in certain weight loss studies and its rich antioxidant content. Bottled green tea that contains artificial sweetener is marketed as "diet" green tea. Ironically, these beverages tend to be much lower in antioxidants than freshly brewed green tea.

Bicycling is a popular, low-impact exercise that can help you accomplish your fitness goals. Cycling will tone and strengthen your muscles and thereby increase your metabolic rate, allowing you to burn more calories, even while at rest.

Water weight gain is a common side effect of pregnancy, especially during the last few months. Although you may be eager to ditch the extra pounds as soon as possible, losing weight takes time. Many women lose excess water weight within a week of delivery without much effort.

Food, glorious food. If only there was some way to eat all you wanted without having to worry about that pesky, life-threatening, profile-altering fat.

Finding time for exercise several days per week doesn't just give you a chance to step away from your desk or TV to clear your mind. When you exercise frequently and choose the right activities, you'll also burn enough calories to help you lose weight.

The calories you burn in any given period of time depend on what you are doing, your gender and your weight. Your physical condition also affects the rate at which your body burns calories, because your body needs more calories to maintain muscle than it does to maintain fat and other tissue.

Excess fat in the outer thigh and hip area commonly plague women who are prone to store fat in the lower body. Solely reducing fat in one area isn't possible. To quickly remove your saddlebags, you must focus on burning total body fat.