By Dave Patania
Enquirer contributor

I lost 21 pounds last year but have consistently gained the weight back even though I am in better shape and eating better. I haven't been doing as much cardio, but figured since I was lifting weights, the new muscle would help me stay lean. What is going on?

It is true that adding more lean muscle mass will help to burn excess calories, but that doesn't mean you should slack on your cardiovascular work.

I had a client who initially lost 20 pounds, got in much better shape but never really bought into my plans for getting in his cardio each week. At first, he was disciplined with his exercise/eating habits, lost the weight and gained a lot of muscle mass. As his results and confidence increased, he started slacking off on his cardio and proper eating. Even though he was in better condition than when he started, the weight returned.

If you have spent more years being inactive than active, it takes a consistent stretch of disciplined eating and exercise habits to help you reach a level of fitness that can support even a brief period of lowered activity or bad eating habits.

When you are a general exerciser new to the fitness world and lack on consistency, it is magnified that much more because you don't have as strong a foundation of exercise and healthy eating habits.

When you have low motivation to train, switch things up with other activities, eating different types/styles of healthy foods and various intensities of exercise. It comes down to simply digging deep inside for the strength to stay on track during times of low motivation.

Contact personal trainer Dave Patania by e-mail: davpatania@aol.com.