After years of feeling like a serial failure, sporadically taking up/giving up running, swimming, cycling, yoga, weight training, circuit training, and just about any other type of training you can think of, I have finally realised that I am a ‘seasonal’ exerciser.

By ‘seasonal’, I don’t mean I only don my trainers when the sun is shining. I mean my exercise ‘needs’ change with the seasons. It’s the same with my hair and clothes: I embrace floaty fabrics and highlights in the summer months, before chopping and colouring my hair into a suitably neat and school-like do to match my autumnal penchant for tweedy tailoring and stationary supplies.

Then in December, I get the overwhelming urge to start kitting myself out in Dickensian skirt/boots ensembles in time for Christmas! In the same way, I seem to embrace different ways of looking after my body at different times of the year.

* In the summer, I love to swim – whether it be at the beach or the leisure centre, I will take any opportunity to get in the water. I also love to go cycling on local trails with the family in tow and the sun on my back.

* Come the autumn, as the days turn cooler and that back-to-school feeling arrives, I am ready for the regimented, rhythmical satisfaction I get from running.

* As Christmas approaches, I am usually ready for a break, so I hibernate with the family, eating chocolate, watching films and taking the odd country stroll.

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Easy ways to get fit? Yeah right….If this is how you think, you need to read our 6 easy ways to get fit. It can be done! A bit of positive mental attitude and taking advantage of any possible exercise makes all the difference.

1. Run, swim or hit the gym early so you only need to take one shower.

2. Make use of any facilities on offer at work: if there is an onsite gym, use it! Or if there is a shower you can use, run or cycle to work or at work, then shower at the office.

3. Join an exercise class to help with motivation: it offers the opportunity to go with a friend or meet new people, giving you an extra reason to keep turning up. Try to opt for a class that is straight after work so you can’t go home first – once you get home, you will struggle to find the motivation to go back out again.

4. Invest in a few good workout DVDs or fitness video games: it avoids the cost of ongoing gym memberships or class fees, and you can do it at home once the kids are in bed without needing to worry about childcare. You can even get the kids to join in, and set a good example for building exercise into their lives.

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Despite a promising start in January and possibly even into February, the sad truth is that many of us will have already given up on our New Year’s resolution to get fit. And as if the failure to make it through to summer without crashing and burning isn’t enough, seeing all those toned Olympic bodies on TV this summer will only serve to make us feel even worse.

But don’t give up yet – it could be that the plans you made in January were just never going to suit your exercise needs.

If you joined a gym with a friend, but prefer exercising outside and alone so you can be in touch with the elements and in tune with your own thoughts, then it isn’t surprising that the thought of paying hard-earned cash every month and having to drag yourself to a noisy gym to sweat alongside loads of other people is no longer an appealing one.

Similarly, if you are the sort who doesn’t get out of bed for less than the threat of a written warning at work, any resolution involving jogging before work was never going to be one that you would stick to.

So instead of giving up and admitting defeat, it’s time to reassess your fitness plans.

* Start by thinking about when you are most likely to want to exercise: are you up and raring to go with the larks, or would you be more inclined to want to thrash it out as stress relief after a long day at work?

* Then think about what you really like doing: do you like to be out in the fresh air, or do you prefer to be undercover at the gym?

* Then think about the practicalities: you might love to swim or use the gym, but can you fit in the travel, showering and hair-drying if you’ve identified lunchtime as your optimal exercise slot? And do you need to consider childcare, or cost?

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Christmas and the excess that comes with it has been and gone, New years resolutions have been made and (in some cases) broken! Looking forward to the Summer, yet not happy with our figures….sounds familiar?

So with spring upon us, is there anything we can do to achieve that bikini body? Here’s how to get your body in shape for Summer 2012.

In my opinion, it’s never too late to make a positive, healthy change, and any improvement in inner and outer health – no matter how small – is better than nothing, but if you are intent on reaching a specific target in time for summer, you will need to put in the time and effort.

Many diet or exercise fads claim to be effective quick fixes, but I prefer to focus on things I’ve tried and benefited from myself. So here are my tips for getting your body ready for summer:

1. Drink plenty of water, every day. It flushes out toxins, helps reduce food cravings, and being properly hydrated keeps your energy levels up for step 3.

2. Cut out alcohol – this can save you lots of calories, reduce bloating, and help you feel more energetic, ready for step 3.

3. Commit to an exercise plan. The more you put into this one, the more you will get out of it. If you are serious about transforming your body, look no further than beachbody.co.uk, where you will find a range of fitness programmes on DVD that are designed to get you into the best shape of your life in 2-3 months.

I’ve done the Insanity® programme myself, and can testify that it works, if you put in the time and effort.

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I have written a couple of articles about ‘the fringe trend’ – in every glossy mag there is always a little piece about fringes being cool. They seem to have, miraculously, stood the test of time.

And I know why! – wrinkle coverage. A fringe is the practical, natural alternative to Botox.

Have you been sitting in front of your computer, frowning over client mails and important documents, only to find that you have embedded creases in your previously smooth forehead which, sadly, has not weathered the age of technology? – scowling at error-driven predictive text messages on our mobiles, squinting at kindle screens as the bus bumps along the road, grimacing  at the YouTube video sent by the dodgy character you met at the pub last week…

… it’s all wrinkle inducing.

But never fear; scissors are near. The only problem with a fringe as wrinkle coverage this season is that the side-swept fringe is making waves on the catwalk. But don’t get despondent – a side-swept fringe can cover the whole forehead (pretty much) if your parting is extreme.

The beauty team from Redonline.co.uk say that a side-swept fringe works best with a fringe that is growing out and styles sweeping across the face, rather than a more solid one.

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