We all know that people tend to use time as a so-called "legitimate" reason to eat poorly. Those people never like me much. Why? Because the excuse is lame and doesn't hold water, and I'm fairly upfront about it. The truth: Bananas are quicker to peel than any package can be opened. Apples don't even need peeling!

Cooked food can also be insanely quick. In fact, I always keep giant bags of various frozen vegetables in my freezer so I can toss them in a bowl and heat them in the microwave in under five minutes. Is it gourmet? Not really. Do I care? Hell no!

What matters most is that we choose fruits, veggies, lean meats and whole grains. Those are a few of the things that are vital not only to weight maintenance, but they support a nourished, energetic and disease-free body. If you are hell-bent on eating poorly than just get on with it. But if you truly want to make fitness happen and change your life, you're going to have to kick excuses to the curb.

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Exercise and routine -- those are two words you frequently see paired together. It's a good thing to make a habit of exercise and to schedule time in your day for your workout. But you shouldn't make your routine too, well ... routine.

Think of it like this. If you knew how to play the piano, you might find a particularly challenging piece of music. At first, playing it would be difficult but as you practiced, it would become easier and easier and eventually you'd be able to play it by memory. Your muscles are no different -- a workout that was once very challenging can become easy after time; muscles have a memory of sorts.

But if you vary your routine, you can keep your body guessing and working as hard as you want it to. Divine Caroline has some great suggestions for varying your workout. Variety in your exercise program will prevent your body from hitting a plateau and, as an added bonus, variety also prevents you from getting bored.

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Here at That's Fit, we're constantly telling you what we think about things, but sometimes it's nice to know what you think. So from time to time, we'll ask you a question. Don't be afraid to speak up -- we love feedback.

A little while ago, when I asked if you would change something about your body if given the chance, the answer was a resounding YES. Not no, or even maybe -- just yes. But how does one go about changing his or her body? A fairy godmother is one option. Good, old-fashioned hard work (read: diet and exercise) is another, more viable one, but even that involves a lot of effort for a very slow pay off. The other option, of course, is surgery. It's risky, painful and involves a difficult recovery, but it's fast and usually effective.

So this time around, I'm asking ...

Last week, I asked you the question if you could change something about your body, would you? It's a question that requires some careful thinking, if you ask me. Here's what you had to say:

• 72% of you would change your body in a heartbeat.
  
• 17% might consider it -- depending on the situation, of course.
  
• 9% of you admit your body isn't perfect, but it makes you who you are and you love it anyway.
  

Personally, I'm in the last category -- I'm not perfect, but I like my body. The only kind of change I'd take is the kind that takes hard work through diet and exercise. Reader Kevin agrees; He says, "[I've already changed my body] through diet and exercise. No, I wouldn't take and "instant" change. But I think if your reading this blog, your already changing you're eating habits and activity levels to make an effect on what you don't like."

Thanks for sharing! Have your voice heard -- cast your vote in other Your Turn polls.

Having a consistent workout routine is a good thing. Never budging from it though, can be a bad thing. Our bodies tend to adapt and become mighty efficient if we tell it to do the same thing over and over. We're a smart species! What can I say?

The October issue of Women's Health magazine has a great little section on various ways you can tweak traditional exercises to make them challenging once again. Give them a looksy and then give them a try. A little difference goes a long way.

Did you know your muscles have a memory? If you keep doing the same old, same old workout day after day the results are likely to slow down, if not stall out.

Women's Health has some subtle variations to traditional strength training moves. The changes are as simple as switching your hand or arm position when lifting weights or raising your feet up a few inches for push ups.

The changes may be minor, but they can give you big results in the long run. For best results, do the traditional moves for one week and then try the variations the next. Alternating the moves will your body guessing and guarantee good results.

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Starting college this year? You're at risk of putting on the dreaded 'Freshman 15' -- referring, of course, to the 15 or so pounds you might put on as you adjust to the life of a student. It's nothing to be ashamed of; you're going through lots of changes -- adjusting to dorm life, making new friends, being out on your own for the first time -- so it's really only natural to find comfort in food, and it happens to lots of us.

But consider this piece of wisdom from someone who's been there: It's a lot easier to gain 15 lbs than to lose it. So nip this weight gain in the bud with these tips:

Why is it so hard to change? The exact reasons are different for everybody but one thing is certain: we all spend a lot of time falling into very similar traps.

The best way to avoid them? Face them head on:

• Expecting too much/Not expecting enough People who are good at change can see both the short term and long term accurately -- they know what they can do in the next 30 days and in the next 3 months. Be honest and realistic with yourself when setting goals.
  
• Letting others bring you down Those around you might not mean to drag you into the dumps, but seeing you working so hard and being successful could be reminding them of their own short-comings. Refuse to let the negative energy of others affect your positive momentum.
• Self-sabotage You might not mean to bring yourself down, either, but all too often we do just that to ourselves. Look deep to see if there are reasons, like fear, that you might be wrecking your own plans.

Thanks to Natural Health magazine.

When I overhauled my diet a year ago, my husband hopped right on board and both applauded and adopted each healthy habit I introduced into our routine. He lost 40 pounds as a result. Clearly, he was supportive. I'm lucky. Not all spouses dig the diets their partners embrace.

A study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior found that when people change their eating habits, spouses and partners often experience skepticism, guilt over their own unhealthy habits, even anger. We're creatures of habit. When one person alters the routine, it can throw things off balance. SHAPE magazine offers these three tips for easing the transition.

Prepare your loved one for changes Share your plans a few days in advance and communicate your reasons for making adjustments.

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About 10 years ago, I stopped drinking soda. I lost seven pounds. The soda eventually crept back into my diet. One year ago, I stopped drinking it again. I ditched sweets too. I lost 15 pounds.

Is there one habit you can eliminate from your diet? A candy dish on your desk you could trash? A morning stop for doughnuts you could do without? A late-night dish of ice cream you could trade for a bowl of fresh fruit? Surely, there's something you can get rid of. Surely, you'll see results when you do.

Fitness magazine asks a few women in their May 2008 issue about small changes they've made in their lives that delivered great gains. One women nixed alcohol for one month. Social drinking was her diet downfall. She'd end up having a dozen beers while mixing with friends, and it always led to snacking on junk food. While this gal says she won't give up alcohol for good, she does plan to minimize her intake, for the sake of her health.

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An easy way to lose weight is to include more fruits and vegetables in your diet. Produce is famous for jamming massive amounts of vitamins, nutrients and fiber into very few calories. With most produce, you can consume lots of food for a very low caloric price. More bang for your buck that is!

I ask my personal training clients to try to include at least five meals per week consisting of pure produce. No meat. No grains. Most folks eat at least 21 meals per week, so this five meal plan doesn't deter anyone from getting enough protein. What it does do though, is get them to try new fruits and learn new ways to turn veggies into a meal.

Another benefit to this effort is that by keeping a few meals to just produce, you will more than likely be cutting quite a bit of calories out of the day. Over time, the more you rely on fruits and vegetables for snacks and meals, the more likely you'll be to achieve and maintain your ideal weight.

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I'll spare you the entire bra story -- you can read all about it here if you wish -- but suffice it to say that something as little as a bra, a measly $20 bra, can lift a whole lot more than the flesh found right there on your chest. It can lift your mood and your overall spirit. And it can do quite a job at inflating both your body image and your self-esteem. I know because I just got my very own new bra.

I not only got a new bra this weekend. I got a brand new model of bra. I traded in my minimizing bra -- the kind I've worn for years -- for a barely-there-light-push-up bra that has transformed each of my breasts from pancake to perky. It's amazing, the difference, and it makes me want to spread the word: If you're feeling down about your body and need a change, a simple little change, while you whittle away at your weight or firm up your flab, then consider a new bra.

Or forget the bra. Make it a new pair of pants that flatter your behind. Or a shirt that trims and slims. It can be anything really -- a hip new jacket, a sporty haircut, a fresh manicure, anything that puts a spring in your step and a smile on your face. Let's be real here: Big sweeping changes take time. So why not try reinventing yourself before long stretches pass you by? It's easy, I tell you. As easy as my new bra.

Walk, walk, walk. There's so much good news about walking. It's good for the heart, good for the soul, good for fatigue, good for preventing illness and disease, good for muscles, joints, and bones. The list goes on and even includes easing the stress and psychological symptoms associated with menopause.

Walking may not knock out those annoying hot flashes, according to one study, but participants did report that walking briskly for 40 to 90 minutes five days per week helped minimize the overwhelming anxiety and depression that come with hot flashes. Another conclusion: The more women walk, the better they feel.

Score another point for walking.

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I don't know about you but for me, regret often is not worth whatever action I've taken that seemed so important in the moment. Sugar gives me a headache, for example. If the urge to eat something sweet sweeps over me and I give in, I'll surely regret it moments after the sugar sinks into my system. My headache won't be worth succumbing to my craving, and regret will plague me for much longer than I'd like.

Regret is OK, healthy even, says Abigail Stewart, PhD., professor of psychology and women's studies at the University of Michigan. Regret is not such a bad thing, reveals Stewart, because it can be used to your advantage.

Women often take action based on their regrets. In my case, my sugar regret causes me to not eat sugar. Taking such action, reports Stewart, causes women to score higher on physical and psychological measures of well-being later in life.

Sorry you missed a recent workout? Or had a bad diet day? Wish you hadn't put off that doctor's appointment for months and months? Don't worry. Don't fixate on your regret. Just use it as motivator for change. You'll be better for the wisdom and self-awareness you gain from making up for what you coulda, shoulda, woulda done.

Regret helps prime you for success. So don't cry over your spilled milk. Instead, mop it up and be happy for the clean slate that lies before you.

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