Tips for Sticking with Your Exercise Program

You’ve chosen an exercise program. The next step is sticking to your routine, which can be a challenge. Special events come up, meetings run over, and obligations demand your attention. You may get bored with the exercises, or progress may seem slow. With some planning, you can overcome these roadblocks. Here are tips that will encourage you to stick with your program:

TAKE GRADUAL STEPS

If you have not exercised in a long time, give yourself several weeks to build your strength and become comfortable with exercising again. Slowly build up to 30 minutes of activity, three to four times per week (or whatever your doctor recommends). Always progress in small increments. Add one minute to each session over several weeks. After you become comfortable with the longer sessions, you can work on increasing the speed, intensity and skill level of your exercise gradually. Be sure to begin each workout slowly to warm your body up for more strenuous activities.

SET REALISTIC GOALS

Setting daily fitness goals can help motivate you. Make them attainable. Writing your fitness goals in an exercise diary can make you more committed to them. For example, you may write down these goals: Today I will do 10 repetitions of a weight training exercise. I will swim 8 laps, or I will jog a mile in 10 minutes. Adjust your goals as necessary.

COMMIT TO A TIME AND PLACE

Decide when and where you’ll exercise when planning your exercise program. Also, decide how long your exercise will last and how many times per week you want to exercise. If you don’t have a full 30-minute session, try two 15-minute sessions to meet your goal.

BE FLEXIBLE

Allow flexibility for business, special events and feeling ill, but not for excuses.

VARY YOUR PROGRAM

Walk one day, swim the next time and go for a bike ride on the weekend. Vary your rhythm, tempo, pace, intensity, and duration of movements to keep the exercises interesting.

SHARPEN YOUR AWARENESS

Notice your surroundings, heartbeat, breathing, skin temperature, excitement, mood, rhythms, and your smile. Be aware of any pleasurable sensations. Developing a keen awareness of your body and environment is one way to enjoy your exercises.

DECIDE THE KIND OF SUPPORT YOU NEED

The chances that you stick to your exercise program increase when you have the support of friends and family. Do you want them to remind you to exercise? Participate with you regularly or occasionally? Be understanding when you get up early to exercise? Spend time with the children while you exercise? Ask your friends and family for the support you need.

PICK UP FROM WHERE YOU LEFT OFF

Missed a workout? Plan a make-up day or add 10-15 minutes to your next workout. Skipped your exercises in the last two weeks? Get started again gradually and work up to your old pace.

REWARD YOURSELF

After every workout, reward yourself with a long shower, a hug, fruit salad, low-fat yogurt, and other healthy snacks.

THINK "FUN" AND FORGET "NO PAIN, NO GAIN."

Best piece of exercise advice we’ve heard. So pass it on.