Staying With Your Fitness Routine

Despite the best of intentions, half of all people who start an exercise program fold within six months. These are tips to help you stay on the road to fitness.

• Set Realistic Goals
  Especially for perfectionists, adopting a goal beyond your capacity is a sure route to failure.
  Set goals that are definite, not hazy.
• Keep a Journal
  Before you start, evaluate your condition.
  For each workout, weigh yourself, monitor heart rate. Afterward, record times and achievements.
• Start Slow and Easy
  Start with a moderate level of intensity, rather than trying too much too soon.
  Gradually lengthen workouts and increase your pace.
• Seek Convenience
  Make time slots and locations for exercising convenient, not excuses for discontinuing your fitness program.
• Find Support
  A workout partner can help keep you motivated.
• Mix it Up
  Doing the same activities day in, day out, gets boring.
  Find different programs to stay motivated and maintain or enhance fitness benefits.

Finding the Right Activity

Avoiding exercise has become something of a national sport. Many people want to get stronger, look better, lose 10 pounds by next week. But when push comes to shove, their dreams go down the drain.

• Pick a Sport You Like
  The secret to sticking with your fitness program is no secret at all: It's got to be fun, or you'll be bored, get hurt and find a reason to quit. And don't limit yourself to one sport. The more you mix, the merrier.
• D-I-F Makes the Difference
  Duration. Intensity. Frequency. These are the underpinnings of every serious fitness program. Exercise three or more times a week for at least 30 minutes each time. Work out with enough intensity to push your pulse to your target heart rate. If you can commit to that, you're really on your way.
• Let the Spirit Move You
  Just as plants naturally move to the light, humans naturally want to be healthier and happier. Try to think of fitness as a process, not a prize. It's your process, so proceed at your own pace, but don't stop moving, thinking, reading, or dreaming.
• Start a Journal
  Keep track of your process, and your progress, in a notebook you call Your Fitness Journal. It's a simple trick that works and provides great motivation.
• Accept No Excuses
  Take responsibility for getting in shape. Stop blaming your fat cells or your busy calendar or your family obligations. Find a way to say yes to your healthiest self, the part of you that longs to be stronger and live longer. All the rest will follow.

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