Creating the workouts that work for you.

Girls Night Out, it's a phenomenon that has legs. It even has its own hashtag on Twitter – #GNO. Girlfriends celebrating life with a night on the town can be fun, but my friends and I prefer Girls Night In. We gather about once a month, always in someone's house, where husbands and children are banished for the evening and good food, good wine, and amazing conversation take over. It's the one night when we can let our hair down…completely. No subject is off limits for discussion. Girls Night In is liberating, lusty, and more often than not, really, really funny.

At our last session the conversation turned to how women of all ages, but especially women over 50, often feel like casualties of a never-ending media war. No matter where we turn, we are confronted images of how our culture expects us to look – most of them completely unrealistic. At our GNI, every one of us is a runner, so it's a pretty impressive group of women of a certain age. They are all passionately committed to fitness, exercise, and healthy living. My running girls are, in a word, gorgeous.

So why do even these beautiful 50+ women constantly feel judged, scrutinized and lacking? Could it be because women are sometimes their own worst enemies? We are smart enough to understand that the models in Vogue are over 5'8", under 115 pounds, barely out of their teens, and airbrushed within an inch of their lives. And yet somewhere in the back of our minds, we never really give up trying to look like they do.

So in this month, dedicated to success on our own terms, let's discard unrealistic expectations and embrace our fit, healthy, 50+ bodies, no matter the shape or size. Here are three things to think about as you go about defining fitness success in your life.

Exercise the way you want to.

 Just because every woman in your reading group has embraced Yoga as the answer to her fitness prayers, doesn't mean that it's right for you. If Yoga's "not your thing" hike with your dog, take figure skating lessons, go line dancing, or train for a marathon. Just make sure that exercise is an important and regular part of your daily routine.

Find your time.

Maintaining a successful fitness program is can be a matter of timing. Individual psychology as well as physiology often dictates the best time of day to exercise. Some women thrive on early morning workouts, while others have biorhythms that encourage a mid-day routine. Figure out when your energy level is high and set that time aside for a fitness fix.

Location, location, location.

Sometimes where you work out is as important as how you work out. A gorgeous summer day might beckon you to take a long swim in the lake. Or fresh snow could be calling you to the ski slopes. Exercise doesn't have to be a chore. More often than not, working out should be a joyful experience, and environment plays a big part in enjoying a workout.

Your successful fitness regimen will be a reflection of who you are and the life you want to live. Take time every day and find ways to make exercise part of who you are and who you intend to become.