by Courtland Low

Created on: February 23, 2009   Last Updated: February 26, 2009

So you've been going to the gym for the last few years, but then you went on this month long vacation to the Bahamas and when you came back you found this huge pile of work sitting on your desk. You'd love to go to the gym, but you're finding that it seems to be a hassle now; all that hard work, effort, sweating endlessly, the feeling of exhaustion at the end. Quite simply put, you're happy lofting around but you know it's bad for you. You tried going a couple times a couple weeks ago, but you just couldn't get back into your old 4 day-a-week schedule. Rest assured, it's not so much a physical battle as it is a mental battle. Here are a couple tips to help you win this brains-over-brawns fight.

First and foremost, go in with a plan. If you already have a gym membership then this half is already over, you don't need to worry about the logistics anymore. Congratulations! If you don't have a membership yet, do a quick search on Google to find local gyms near you. Ideally they shouldn't be farther than a 15 minute drive away from your home or workplace. The closer the better, after all, sometimes you might decide to walk there instead and save some gas (that trip to the Bahamas was more expensive than you thought)! Most gyms offer monthly memberships for the wary, but keep in mind that longer memberships are typically cheaper per month. That and you'll feel really guilty after spending all that money if you don't go to the gym. Remember! You need all the motivation you can get right now; keeping a regular fitness schedule is the most difficult at the start, usually the first 3 weeks.

The second half of the plan consists of figuring out exactly how many days and how much time each day you can commit. Beyond this, you need to have some sort of general idea, a goal, that you want to realize. If you're aiming for a total body makeover you'll probably need to spend a bit more time training your muscles.

Remember to be realistic. If you're just returning to the gym, or even if it's your first time, start off slow. If you've been away for an extended time, don't expect to be able to lift your old maximum quite as easily, if you're new, don't expect to lift as much as that big bodybuilder guy in a tanktop in your first try. The key to making fitness stick is start slow and build momentum. Try going 2-3 times a week when you start. Spread your training and your muscle groups, out over these days. I highly recommend against doing a whole body workout each day of the week. This

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