Getting fit can be one of the most challenging tasks you face because it affects every other choice you make each day. Do I take the elevator or the stairs? Do I choose the cookie or the apple? Not only does it take constant will power, it also requires knowledge of your body and what is good for it. Here are a few tips from personal trainers in the Toronto area who are helping women every day to get to the shape they’d like to be.

Davelle Morrison and Funk Roberts, personal trainers from Fit Firm ‘n Fab: Fitness, Nutrition and Wellness for Women have some great tips to offer you to stay in shape.

1. Work some aerobic exercise into your life, it will reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is the world’s largest killer, claiming 17.1 million lives a year. It involves the heart or blood vessels, affecting the lungs, the brain, the kidneys or other parts of the body. If you gradually work up to a cardiovascular session every other day that lasts 20-30 minutes, you will achieve the maximum benefits. Your session should include a five minute warm up and cool down, therefore, prior to exercise, the body can adjust slowly from rest to exercise and after your body can gradually recover.

2. Meditating for at least 10 minutes in the morning can help to reduce stress levels. What she recommends that you do to fight stress in your life is to find a quiet place in your home, sit cross legged on a pillow with your hands on your knees, palms facing upward with your index finger and thumb touching, close your eyes and inhale and exhale. It’s an ancient practice called meditation and its’ really quite simple. You don’t need a special course or a special place, just yourself. You already possess all the tools that you need.

3. Get 7-8 hours of sleep every night. It can help you to lose weight. According to Women’s Health, people who slept at least 7 hours a night were less likely to put on weight than those who didn’t. Sleep loss has been shown to affect the secretion of cortisol, a hormone that regulates appetite. People who do not get enough sleep may feel hungry throughout the day and crave sugary foods during the afternoon. How can you enjoy a better night’s sleep? Add a yoga class into your workout routine. Yoga’s soothing poses and breathing will help give you a good night’s sleep.

Kaleena, a Toronto area personal trainer, says that Yoga will also improve strength, flexibility, balance and coordination and the more you improve the better you can get into poses and learn about the way your body works and moves. But you don’t always have time in your day to work around a class schedule at the gym. Kaleena has some useful advice for home Yoga.

1. Practice!: If you are serious about strengthening your yoga routine it’s essential that you practice for at least 20 minutes two to three times a week. This is primarily important for muscle memory and retaining achieved flexibility. It’s important to build momentum with any exercise routine.

2. Listen/Read: Whether you learn yoga from a DVD, book or online it’s helpful to constantly review your material. Even basic poses such as the warrior or strength exercises like the squat need constant form reviews to be perfect. If you practice yoga to a DVD listen to instructions carefully, as the most subtle movement or placement in yoga can make a world of difference. Practicing on your own requires more in depth research and persistence to make the most of your sessions. She also finds it to be extremely helpful to watch videos online from yoga blogs, YouTube and podcasts.

3. Hire a home yoga teacher: It’s a great idea to hire a yoga instructor periodically. A teacher will help to correct form and to make sure you are on the right track. She would recommend seeking extra help every other month or so. About a week before your session, start to write down any questions or concerns that come to mind during your practice to make the most out of a professionally trained yoga teacher.

We hope this leaves you with the inspiration you need to getting on the path of good health in 2010.