1. Set out your exercise clothing and gear ahead of time and put it somewhere that you can’t overlook it. If you live alone, actually put it in your path. OR put a packed gym bag in your car.

2. Find a workout buddy and commit to a regular time.

3. Remind yourself that you are always (or almost always) glad that you went.

4. Commit to something small. Avoid all or none thinking such that you either go to the gym for at least an hour or not at all. If you commit to 15 or 20 minutes it’s easier to motivate and you may end up doing more anyway.

5. Self-Monitor – Keeping tract of anything makes you more likely to follow through. Record the number of minutes you exercise, what you did, or simply that you exercised. Also record when you DON’T exercise.

6. Read the list of top 10 Benefits of Exercise from my last post.

7. Mix it up. Not only does it alleviate boredom, you burn more calories when you change your routine.

8. Keep hydrated. Being dehydrated causes you to be tired. Start drinking water for 30 minutes to an hour before you exercise and you may feel more energized to go and keep working out when you do.

9. Jam on the tunes or watch a sporting event, movie, or TV show while using cardio machines.

10. Make a commitment to a friend or friends. This works great if someone you know wants to motivate for something too. You can even make it a contest.

11. Sign up for a class that meets on a weekly or twice weekly basis.

12. Enlist a personal trainer or better yet, to make it more fun and less expensive, most trainers will train a couple or two friends together.

by Jennifer L. Abel, Ph.D.

author of “Active Relaxation: How to Increase Productivity and Achieve Balance by Decreasing Stress and Anxiety”

Many people exercise to lose weight. However, keeping slim is a small fraction of the benefits of exercise. Pumping iron and working up a sweat with cardio has multiple positive effects on the body and mind. In fact, studies suggest that much of the health risk of obesity is the fact that most people who don’t exercise are more likely to be obese and vice versa. In other words, it’s not only the fat itself and there’s evidence that it’s better to be active and a little overweight than be thin and sedentary.

Here are 10 reasons to exercise regularly.  These are all facts based on clinical studies.

1.      Improves Sleep

2.      Burns Calories

3.     Increases Bone Density

4.      Lowers Blood Pressure

5.     Lowers Cholesterol

6.     Decreases Stress

7.     Improves Muscle Tone

8.     Makes you physically stronger and makes you feel emotionally stronger.

9.     Improves Memory

10.    Improves Mood

by  Jennifer L. Abel, Ph.D.

author of “Active Relaxation: How to Increase Productivity and Achieve Balance by Decreasing Stress and Anxiety”