Exercise Tips to Get You Going

Getting yourself motivated to exercise can sometimes be challenging. You'd probably find yourself making up lots of excuses. In the end, however, exercise and a healthy diet will always be one of the best things that you can do for yourself and to help you get going, here are some tips to motivate you.


1. Know the Benefits of Exercise

To get you motivate to start hitting the gym or running that mile, you need to know what you are getting for all your efforts. Here are some of the top benefits of exercise that you will enjoy once you decide to give it a try.

* Increased Energy
* Increased Strength
* Weight Loss, Weight Gain (Muscle Mass) or Weight Maintenance
* Decreased Stress Levels
* Improved Psychological Well-Being
* Increased Muscle Mass - The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you'll burn
* Improved Mood
* Better Sleep
* Decreased Risk of Lifestyle Related Medical Conditions including Heart Attacks, Stroke, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, Osteoporosis, and more

Studies have also shown that the activity produced by exercise helps lower estradiol and progesterone levels; these hormones are known to be triggers for breast cancer.

2. Read Real Life Stories

Reading about people who have been where you are and have ended up as successes is one of the best ways to help get you going. There are a lot of resources on the net that can provide you with such stories. Below is an example of such a story.

At 26, Jade weighed 230 lbs and was 5'2" high. She had struggled with weight all her life and to top it off, she had a thyroid problem, which added to her weight issues. Jade had lived through highs school getting teased, which made her miserable. Still, she was never really motivated to exercise, but when a routine blood pressure check showed that she was Hypertensive and had to take medication, she decided that it was time to do something about her weight.

Jade had a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 45.7. A BMI of 30 or greater is considered obese. Someone at her height should have weighed around 120 lbs and had a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9. It meant that to get to loose more than half of her present weight. She decided to exercise and it was a hard battle, especially so because of her thyroid problem. She kept herself motivated by thinking of her health and with the support of family and friends.

Today, Jade weights 124 lbs and it's a weight that she had been able to maintain. Not only is she off her blood pressure medication, she also feels like she has more energy, something that she didn't feel before when she was obese.

You can compute your own BMI with the help of BMI Calculators found online.

3. Plan Ahead

Mark your calendar to signify the days that you will be exercising. This will help motivate you to get to the gym or to get out of your house to walk, run, hike, swim, or bike. Marking will also help you keep balance and schedule your daily activities around your exercise sessions.

4. Keep a Journal

Track your progress by keeping a journal. It may also help if you take photos of yourself when you first start out and at each monthly interval. The journal should contain you weight at each interval. You should also make daily or weekly notes of how many minutes you exercised and on how you exercised (cardio or special equipment exercise for weight training).

5. Reward Yourself

Don't be afraid to reward yourself when you reach a milestone - even if it's only 5 or 10 lbs. Remind yourself that you did good by doing something you enjoy. It can be going to the spa, the movies or having some retail therapy. Each little reward can help keep you moving forward.

So, drop whatever prejudices you may have about fitness, exercise, healthy diets and the like as they can also keep you from getting motivated. Take the above tips to heart and go for a run or get on that exercise machine, go, and more importantly, keep it fun. Over time change your routines to help you stay motivated in your new more positive life.