Body building can be a challenge for most people. Definitely not for wimps! Guts, determination, focus, discipline ...

Is building the `Perfect Mr. Universe' body your goal? If so, then I am sorry to disappoint you, but that is an incredible amount of work. Unless you were already born with the basics (I mean the beautiful basics), it is not easy.

Guys who want to have a muscular body to impress the girls need to understand that it takes hard work to get that V-shaped body!

Who wants a skinny, pale looking and wimpish looking body? No one right? People admire a strong physique. It looks sexy and confident.

Ah but then look at Homer Simpson. His beer belly, bald plate and huge jaw (does he ever shave?) - surely that is a body building challenge in itself. Hmm...Madge is really tolerant. Unless you consider belching "exercise"?

Oh don't forget about his BIG bum! It's his turn to ask Marge, "Is my bum big in this blue pants?" What can she say? haha! One day they should do a series on bum-trainings. Perhaps they already do. Why do you think his house shakes so much? hahaha!

What is more important is that you look after your body. It's the only one you have. Even with science and technology advances, getting new parts and organs is a tricky business. Fancy a new head or longer legs?

In China, people go through all sorts of torture to gain more inches to their height. They have surgery to break their leg into 2 pieces, add some metal in between and wait for it to join. In the meantime, they endure terrible pain. Primitive form of bandaging a broken leg or arm with splints....Urggh! I saw the pictures in a magazine one day and I was shocked!

So, whatever your original shape or size or length of legs, be reasonable and realistic. You cannot expect to increase your (body) height by 6 cms by weight training or body building alone. You may add some height by a careful hairstyle (bouyant and what Malaysians call the `curry puff' hair style, meaning comb to one side, making air pocket on the other side to make it look fuller. Hence name `puff') but get wet in the rain and oh-yeah! you're back to 5ft 2ins or whatever cms! Rats tails!!

Look after the body you have now. Get good rest, eat nutritionous balanced meals, take moderate exercise, wear well fitting, colour coordinated clothes and you can look pretty attractive! Not to mention having more energy. No use having a body like the Hulk but anaemic, strong wind would blow you down with a single puff....

If swimming is your thing, do it! If walking is enjoyable for you, good! Some people don't suit gyms. Smelly place with people preening in the mirrors and spying on other people's body parts in the showers. Perverts!

Brisk walking (or swimming or football/rugby or running) several times a week.

Some people stick by a morning walk then one at lunch time (or at evening time). Work wonders for your health and heart. Strong heart exercise can also include stairs, going up and down.

So, take some time and make an inventory of your current body shape or size and plan to make small increments. Have a good strategy of the gains you want to make with workouts or other exercises. Hire a personal trainer for a few weeks to get you started and then maintain it once you have reached a good body shape, weight or fitness level.

So who says women are no good at body building? Hey, we girls appreciate a good body when we see one!

Body Building does build your self esteem and confidence.

When you see how far you have come (in your goal), you must feel proud of yourself. Even little steps lead to a gradual success.

Forget about those ads which promise XXX ads in 7 days or whatever. Unless you have a pump-up body or you inject stuff into your muscles to bulk them up, which is highly unhealthy and downright dangerous, forget it!