Staying in the Game.

There’s no use creating a program if you’re not going to stick to it however many people focus all their energy on what they’re going to do and overlook how they’re going to stick with it long-term.

•  Write down your goals - Once you select the form of exercise or exercises you’re going to do and have scheduled a time to do them each day, identify what you would like to achieve from exercising. For some people it’s losing a certain amount of weight, for others it’s achieving a certain running distance or number of laps in the pool. These specific goals may also be accompanied by a progression schedule - whether you are just beginning or not. If you expect to run a 10k (6.2 miles) in three months then you may need to write down weekly running logs to get you up to running 6.2 miles comfortably. Keep your goals, logs, schedules in a convenient place so you can refer to them often and stick to your schedule.

•  Find training partners - Whether you find a friend or a pet to exercise with, it will at least make you accountable to someone for continuing your program. Find friends that enjoy the same activities as you and instead of scheduling lunch get-togethers, schedule a lunchtime run, walk or aerobics class at the gym. If you have friends that are involved in different activities it may give you the opportunity to participate in something new if you join them and it will give you an opportunity to enjoy the company of different people. Dogs can be especially motivating because they are always rearing to go - and many already know how to walk "briskly" - so take your morning or evening walk with your 4-legged friend and you’ll be less likely to bail out.

•  Make gains, earn rewards! - Reaching a goal in and of itself provides a sense of accomplishment and gratification but for many, a tangible reward can also be important as well as motivating. Try placing some increment of money (a quarter, perhaps) in a jar after every workout and use the money to buy yourself something new such as a CD, new article of clothing or a workout-related item like running shoes. You could also use the contest approach to keep yourself and other friends and family members motivated. If everyone tracks their workouts and duration, a reward could be given to the person with the most consistency or most intense effort over a set period of time. Maybe that person gets dinner paid for by the group or wins a monetary prize from weekly contributions of those participating.

•  Finding inspiration in obvious places - What motivates one may not motivate another so consider your likes and dislikes and try to select resources that get you jazzed about your working out. For some people, reading a book about others’ accomplishments or watching a movie may provide inspiration for working out or accomplishing something in your sport. For others, having a great CD to work out to or an instructor to follow is all the motivation they need. You may even think about clothing and gear that would make you more comfortable or more flattering while you exercise and make sure you get yourself suited up!

•  Have some fun! - Don’t overlook the importance of having fun while you work out. Change things up every so often to keep it fresh and even if you prefer to stick to one specific activity, change the venue or even the time of day to give yourself some variance every so often. And, remember to always look for ways to improve by adding new elements to your workout or increasing the time you participate.