The next time you start to slide with your exercise program, stop! On again
off again exercise will never get you the results you want. Instead, use these
six tips to stay on track and achieve and achieve your desired fitness goals:
1. Dont beat yourself up if you miss a workout. Life is full of challenges
and unexpected obstacles. Setbacks happen. Dont let a couple of missed
workouts turn into two months of inactivity.
2. Take a break. A plateau, burnout or lack of motivation might be your body
asking for a break. Take an occasional break from your regular exercise routine
for a few days or so, keeping active with some low intensity activities like
walking or riding a beach cruiser.
3. Write it down. Does it ever seem like youre not getting anywhere?
Monitor your program to adjust your regime as necessary. Writing it down also
lets you measure the improvements youve made over time, which is good to
review during times of waning motivation.
4. Treat yourself to technology. Tools like heart rate monitors and calorie
trackers make exercise more fun and let you see instantly the results of your
efforts.
5. Club it. If you like to bike, run, swim or dance, join a club. The social
component makes it fun while the group can provide accountability and
motivation to stay on track.
6. See the whole picture. Focus on all the benefits of exercise, like how a
good workout makes you feel or the decrease in your cholesterol level. The more
benefits you can identify the more motivated you are to exercise, even at times
when you dont feel like it.