Just one-third of those who start an exercise program are still exercising by the end of their first year. With some strategizing and scheduling, you can make a successful move to a lifestyle that integrates exercise.
Here are some tips to help you stay motivated:
1. Find a Fitness Partner.
* Studies illustrate that exercise adherence is usually greater if the family or a friend is included in the obligation to exercise. Discover a walking partner, play tennis with your spouse, or go rollerblading with the kids.
2. Start an Exercise Log or Journal.
* An exercise log or journal is perfect way to register your progress and provide motivation. Exercise logs can come into many forms, for example: a calendar to record your workouts, a computerized exercise log or a log purchased at bookstore, a daily journal to record your feelings and goals. The solution is to choose a log or journal that fits your needs and provides you the kind of information that is important for you.
3. Schedule Your Workouts.
* Exercise must be a main concern in order to establish it as a lifestyle practice. Find time for your workouts and schedule them on your daily calendar or planner.
4. Toss Your Scale.
* Ask yourself, "How often has stepping on the scale in the morning ruined my day?" If your answer is "often," consider whether or not you should give that little machine such power over you. The true is that exercise should not spin around a number on a weighing machine. Exercise should be about making an duty to your health and well being; weight loss is a natural side effect of that obligation.
5. Dress the Part.
* Wear comfortable clothes suitable for exercising; they will help you feel like working out. In case you exercise at a gym put your exercise wear in a bag and set it next to the door the night before. When it's time to leave the door, all you have to do is take your bag on the way out.
6. Entertain Yourself.
* If you exercise on your own, consider using a Walkman to listen to your favorite music or books on tape to help keep you entertained during your exercises. Many pieces of work out equipment have racks that fit onto the comfort to hold reading material. If you exercise at home, turn on some music or bring the television within viewing range.
7. Evaluate Your Progress.
* A good way to test your fitness level when you start and reconsider yourself every couple of months. There is a mixture of fitness tests that you can control yourself. Receiving a body composition test is another great method to register your progress and can be done every four to six months. The local fitness club can make this test at a minimal price, even though you're not a member.
8. Make Exercise Non-Negotiable.
* Imagine exercise as something you do without question, like brushing your teeth or going to work. Taking the lifestyle viewpoint will help you make exercise a habit and will make you live a long and productive life confidently keeping diseases associated with idleness at bay.
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