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Setting Goals.

The easy part here is recognising what needs to be done – ‘I need to get fit’. Whether this is to run a half marathon, finding your weekend sport a bit too tough, or you generally feel like you need to start working your body, the hard bit is actually doing it, and doing it well.

The main error most people make is giving themselves false hope by having unrealistic expectations about exactly how long it will take to run 10k or bike 80k. Unrealistic goals boost the risk of dropping out of a fitness programme. For example, if you are registered for a half marathon and have left it one week from the day to start training you are only setting yourself up for failure. Instead you need to set a realistic goal and realise your time constraints to achieve those goals.

1	Give Yourself Time to Build Your Fitness The hardest part about getting fit is knowing what is ‘fit’ for you and also how hard to push yourself. Start off lightly just to see where your fitness levels are sitting. For example go for a run and time yourself. This will give you a starting point to work from.
2	Set Short Term Goals Aim at reaching little milestones along your way as opposed to just having one big end goal. For example if you have aimed to run 10k, celebrate the first 4k run or the first day you don’t have to stop and walk.
3	Track Your Progress Using note books, charts or visually tracking your fitness is a great way to keep you on track and motivated. If you don’t know what you have accomplished then you won’t get the motivation or excitement to keep going.
4	Think About Long Term Goals Post up on your wall or fridge at home your long term goal, it makes all the short term goals that much more exciting, see what you are working towards.

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Beating Procrastination.

Why do we put off exercise – even though once we have done it we feel SO good about ourselves? It is because the mind has an amazing ability to fabricate a list of excuses as to why we shouldn't exercise.

It is so easy to think up excuses not to exercise. Deep down we know that none of these excuses really have a ground to stand on. If we thionk positively there is always a good reason to get into it and get physical. Read below for the top 9 excuses we come up with for reasons not to exercise, and reasons why those excuses are just that.. Excuses!

1	I can’t exercise - I'm on vacation! Ever heard of taking your running shoes with you! When on vacation take your gym shoes and get out there and explore the sites. Exercising on vacation does not have to mean following your programme exactly. But instead of not exercising at all and losing what you have worked towards, put your shoes on and go for a walk around where you are staying to get your bearings, instead of catching the bus to the shops walk in and enjoy the weather! There are fun ways to bring exercise into a vacation.
2	There is a good show on TV! Watch it while you exercise! Exercising in the comfort of your own home is ideal for all us TV junkies. We get to work out and keep up to date on all the episodes. Pull your cross trainer, exercise bike, Swiss Ball etc. in front of the box and get working, it also helps to keep your mind off the task at hand.
3	I can't leave the kids alone at home! Take them with you! We are a nation of obesity and what better way to prevent this than taking the kids out in the fresh air with you. Go for a walk, throw the ball around the park – all you need is 30 minutes a day. Or for the days that you have the kids exercise at home – jump on the treadmill or bike and you don’t even have to leave the kids alone.
4	My muscles hurt! All the more reason to do some exercise and stretch them out. But take is easy, go for a walk or jump in the pool and swim some lengths. The trick here is to just keep going!
5	It's too cold or it's too hot! Put more layers on in the cold and exercise in the morning or evening when the sun is down if you know it’s going to be a hot day.
6	I don’t have time! This is one of the most common excuses for not exercising. This is why planning and scheduling is so important. Plan in your diary what and when you are going to do. If you fell pressed for time then work it into your daily routine. Walk or run to work – go for a brisk walk in your lunch hour. When done regularly you will start noticing a difference.
7	I’m too stressed and have too much work to do! Most of the time exercise is what the Doctor will order when you are stressed and overworking. Exercising helps to clear your head and is a good form of timeout when you feel like you are going to blow.
8	Its Friday I need a rest! Get your exercise over and done with in the morning before work or study. This will leave you feeling pumped and ready to take on the day. And you will feel great when it hits 5pm and you can relax because you have already done your exercise!
9	I'm too tired! Some days you may just simply not feel like exercising. Dont beat yourself up about it. You are allowed to have some time out and rest days. Just make sure you get back into it the next day! Chances are though that you will feel much better after exercising- even if you are tired.

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New Exercise Habits.

The hardest part of committing to regular exercise is making the decision itself, and being prepared to stick at it. Exercise should always be among our top priorities to attain a healthy lifestyle. Exercise should form an important part of everybody's life. We should always make the necessary adjustment to make time for exercise. Here are some great tips that can get you started on an exercise routine.

1	Plan your exercise by putting it in your calendar. If you sit down at the start of each week, plan out what you have to do for the next 7days, you will be able to see visually when you will have time to exercise. This will make it easier to follow and get you more motivated to actually go, as you will feel more organised for the week. Making exercise a priority is a big mental obstacle that needs to be overcome so planning when to do exercise is a definite must.
2	Make exercise fun with friends by including them in your regimen. Exercising with a friend is a lot more fun than by yourself. It really helps when you are both working towards common goals, you can motivate each other and commit to making the habit work. You could also make your whole family or flat part of the healthy experience by inviting them to do exercise routines with you. Another idea is to schedule physical activities with your mates instead of going for a movie or for coffee.
3	Get some outside motivation by enrolling In sports or fun classes. Fitness classes at the gym or playing in a sports team once a week is a form of fun exercise. It is important to mix up your routine and keep it interesting. Classes at the gym can also introduce new forms of exercise that you have never tried before, and you will be surprised at how quickly the time goes by.
4	Refer back to your goals. It is a good idea to always refer back to your goals so that you can be motivated to keep up with your fitness regimen. And remind yourself why you started this in the first place.
5	Psyche yourself up on doing exercise routines by reading fitness magazines and the likes. Reading fitness magazines or websites mentally helps motivation for carrying out fitness activities. You will find that the glossy pictures and fitness ideas help get you excited and inspire you.
6	Exercise first thing in the morning or, on the way home from work. Fitness in the morning is always hard to start with, but by the end of the day you will be so happy with yourself that you have gotten it out of the way. If you find is hard getting up in the mornings every morning a good idea is to recognise the hardest days you find to do exercise and make sure those days you do it in the morning. For example if you normally exercise after work, but on Fridays you like to head out for a drink or catch up with friends to celebrate the end of the week, why not schedule your fitness for the morning so it is over and done with - then you can go and enjoy that drink and not feel guilty!
7	Walk with a pedometer. Measuring your steps along the way helps you to gain an understanding on what it is that you are doing each day, you can keep a log of how many steps you are taking a each session and track your progress. This is a great motivational tool that will help you push yourself that little bit more each session.

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