Are you exercising regularly and eating well but find you still can't lose those last few pounds? If so, you've probably hit a weight loss plateau. In part two of our series, Sara Singer Schiff explains how changes to your exercise regime can make a difference

Now that you know what kind of changes you need to make to your diet to start losing weight again, you can focus on subtly modifying your workout routine to get the results you want. iVillage fitness expert Josh Salzmann suggests the following tips to ensure you make the most of every workout:

1. Run on empty: If you can manage, try doing a cardio workout of no more than 30 minutes first thing in the morning before breakfast. Why? Exercising on an empty stomach can help you burn fat stores and kickstart your metabolism. For more information on how this can benefit your weight loss efforts, check out this article, Running on Empty.

2. Get pumped: Are you doing enough strength training? Muscles require more energy to function than fat does, so if you increase your muscle mass you'll raise the speed at which you burn calories and, consequently, fat. If you continue to have trouble losing weight, you may need to increase the intensity of your strength training routine.

3. Change your workout: If you feel a sense of dread every time you put on your trainers, it may be time to try a new routine. Perhaps you need to make it more enjoyable and less like drudgery. Why not take up a new sport or try a dance class? Also, evaluate your current exercise regime, even if you're happy with it. If you've been doing the same workout for a while, it might be time for a change since using muscles in a different way through a new form of exercise can make you work harder than usual and increase your calorie expenditure.

4. Bump up the frequency: Are you exercising enough? Try increasing the intensity of your activity and possibly the frequency. If you are exercising two to three times a week, try to up this to four to five times a week. For those already following a weight training routine, try intensifying your workouts by making movements more precise and not resting between moves. There's no need to increase the duration of your workout - just your effort.

5. Have a rest: Recovery is an essential part of training. If your body isn't able to properly heal after each workout, you may not see results. This is because during exercise, you stress your system and if you don't allow your body to adequately recuperate between sessions, you can actually lose muscle tissue. This, in turn, will cause your metabolism to slow down. Allowing your muscles to recover, along with following a proper diet, is ultimately what makes you more toned and sculpted. Also, by letting your body recover properly, you can work to maximum capacity in your next workout and so burn more fat. So if you are exercising more than five days a week or for more than two hours a day, it may be time to cut back.

6. Drink up: Drinking plenty of water is essential to weight loss, since burning fat increases the toxins in your system which then need to be flushed out by your liver and kidneys. If there isn't adequate water to do this, your body will burn fat less efficiently as this natural function won't be triggered. If you're eating properly and exercising regularly at a high intensity, increasing your water intake may be just the thing you need to get your weight loss back on track. You should drink up to two litres a day (or more if it's hot), and cut back on coffee, tea or other drinks that may dehydrate you.

Once you have reviewed the tips above and fine-tuned your workout programme, you should start to notice a difference in how you look. Remember, muscle weighs more than fat, so even if the numbers on the scale aren't budging, it doesn't necessarily mean you're not making progress. Fluctuations of a few pounds can also be down to things like your menstrual cycle or water retention. In the long run the most important factor is how you feel - not the number on the scales.