"My body is here, but my mind is actually still asleep in bed," one client said to me on a particularly cold, dark morning. She proceeded to prove it by staring in incomprehension at exercises we'd done hundreds of times, forgetting what she was doing halfway through a set and sighing every time I gave her another exercise.

It's official. The winter blahs are here. I can't do anything about the weather (and, believe me, I've tried), but I do have some ideas for managing the winter blahs:

• Go outside - It takes a bulldozer to get me out of the house when it's cold, but I always feel better breathing fresh (even if it's arctic) air after being cooped up. Even if you only get out for a few minutes, you'll boost your mood and renew your gratitude for having a warm room to get back to.
• Spice things up - If you're stuck working out indoors, workouts can quickly get tedious. Now is a great time to try something different - A class, a video or a new activity like kettlebell training.
• Remember the Future - It feels like winter will last forever, but it will end. Imagine what you'll do when it's warm outside and start working on getting your body ready for it. Whether you want to train for a race, get in shape for summer activities or just look good in a bathing suit, having a goal can keep you on track.
• Exercise with others - If your energy is flagging, try working out with a friend or take a fitness class with other people. Being around others not only gives you more energy, it reminds you that there's a world out there and you're not the only one in it.

You'll find more ideas in my article about beating the winter blahs, but I want to hear from you. How do you get through the toughest part of winter? Leave a comment and tell us about it.

When we start losing weight, we often imagine exciting things lying ahead. There will be weight loss, of course, but we also imagine our shiny new bodies. Perfectly shaped thighs and calves, ab muscles carved in stone, a rear firm enough to invite quarter-bouncing.

But, what really happens when you lose weight? You end up with a smaller version of the same body you always had. To some of us, this is a disappointment, particularly for those of us with the kinds of fantasies I mentioned above. We don't just want a smaller body...we want a better body.

If you look at just about any health, fitness or weight loss magazine, you'll see something that perpetuates the belief that we can isolate and, therefore, shape different parts of our bodies with a few simple exercises. I just saw one the other day announcing exercises for "Sexy Abs, Butt & Thighs!" Who wouldn't want that? Even when we know a few exercises aren't going to transform us from ho-hum to 'Sexy!' it's tempting to try.

The truth is, you may not lose weight where you want (at least, not right away). And, it's entirely possibly you'll lose weight from some place you'd like to keep the way it is. Where we lose weight is not within our control - All the ab exercises in the world may strengthen your abdominals, but you won't lose fat there unless your body cooperates.

Spot training doesn't work and realizing that can be very liberating, allowing you to focus on the results you're getting rather than on what's not happening.

What do you think? Have you been frustrated when trying to lose weight in certain places? How do you deal with it? Leave a comment and tell us about your experiences.

We're really into core training, if the latest fitness trends are any indication, and one of my favorite ways to work the core is to incorporate it into traditional strength exercises. Not only does this add intensity to some exercises, it also freshens up exercises that can get a little stale.

Ball pushups with pikes are a good example of this, working the chest, arms and shoulders as well as the abs and back. Pikes are an advanced exercise, so you should be very comfortable using an exercise ball before trying it. The movement should be slow and controlled to avoid flipping over on your head (which, unfortunately, can happen). One way to modify this move is to bend the knees and roll the ball in, rather than keeping the legs straight.

Do it right: Get into a pushup position with the ball under the shins/ankles (easier) or the tops of the feet (harder). Bend the elbows and lower into a pushup. Push back up and contract the abs to pull the ball in as you lift the hips up towards the ceiling in a pike position. For a modification, bend the knees and roll the ball in towards the chest instead of keeping the legs straight. Continue alternating a pushup with a pike for 8-16 reps.

If you were giving someone else advice about losing weight, what's the first thing you would tell them? A lot of us would say something about changing his or her diet or starting an exercise program and those things would be true. But, don't most of us already know that?

We have more information about losing weight than ever before, yet we're still struggling. Why? Perhaps the missing ingredient here isn't just making the right choices, but the internal conversations that drive our choices.

I'm convinced that the right mental strategies have to be in place before we can make true, lasting change. We do need goals and self-discipline and motivation, but we also need a true to desire to change what we're doing before any of those other things come into play.

When you think about your weight loss experiences, whether you're losing weight, maintaining weight loss or gaining weight, what is the most important mental strategy you need to be successful? I know there's more than one at work at any given time, but if you had to pick the most important one, which one would it be? Vote in this week's poll and, if your answer isn't there, leave a comment and tell us what you think.