Losing The Weight!

Stick With It

Sticking with a new exercise routine is not easy, and anyone who tries to tell you that it's simple is full of it. As I've said before, I'm not one of those people who naturally love working out, so getting up and doing my workout every day is an act of will. If you're having trouble staying motivated, jump-start yourself with these tips and then wait for your endorphins to kick in and work their magic.

Take it easy.

It takes 21 days to form a new habit, so don't kill yourself by pushing too hard or you'll just end up losing steam and wanting to quit. Instead, commit yourself to advancing at a steady pace.
Listen to music. Get yourself a music player and put together some cool tunes to inspire you while you work out. Sometimes music makes all the difference.
Watch a movie.

If you're running on a treadmill, riding a recumbent bike, doing the elliptical machine, or performing your toning exercises at home, try watching a movie while you work out — it'll take your mind off the exercise.
Enlist a partner in crime.

Invite a spouse, friend, family member, co-worker, or even one of your online fitness buddies to pair up and work out with you. Working out together will give you both more incentive to kick a&*.
Face facts.

Just get real and remember that sometimes life will get in the way of your workout. Don't give up just because you slacked off and let your routine slip down the old priority list. There's nothing stopping you from bumping it back up to the top!
Get some fun fitness DVDs.

If working out on your own is getting a little old, pick up one of my DVDs. The DVDs are actually very similar to my online program. The exercises are a little different, but the methodology is the same. And the added bonus is that you get to listen to me kick your butt!
Reward yourself.

By now you probably know my philosophy on this. I'm big on rewards for both long-term and short-term goals, so come up with some appropriate (nonfood) rewards and enjoy them each time you achieve a new goal. You deserve it!

Take Charge.

Find something in your life that you've been meaning to do — could be a big household project or just that nagging chore — and stop letting its undoneness make you feel bad or lazy. Do some yard work, pay your bills, clean out the attic, go through your clothes and take a bag of stuff you don't want to the Salvation Army. If you start taking charge of the external things in your life, it will be easier to tackle the internal ones.