The 4 month-long winter and shorter days here in Canada makes it more difficult to maintain an active and daily regimen, although my treadmill, elliptical, and, most importantly, trainer gets terrific regular use. I've gained 4 pounds, despite my best efforts to keep my ideal "summer weight," but for some strange reason, probably owing more to my being a late forty-something male, those extra few pounds always seem to congregate around my mid-section in the form of the proverbial rubber tire. In my case, its not the number of pounds that matter, but where they show up. At least we are getting a minute or two more of daylight every day now...