by Richard Chan

Created on: March 06, 2008

I think we can all agree that the hard part with exercising is staying motivated. I totally understand and I go through this every so often. I try to remind myself by following a few simple rules that allow me to keep on track of my goals so I can continue to be encouraged with my exercising. Some of them start with short term goals or taking baby steps. As you begin to approach these smaller goals or accomplish them, you will build confidence. You will then become motivated since accomplishing anything is very rewarding. By knowing how much time and effort you've invested feels great when you begin to see results. So, let me discuss the rest of the points on how you can stay motivated.

1. Write down your short and long term goals. Next, acknowledge it by saying it to yourself or someone close to you such as a friend or spouse. By admitting it, you have taken action in implementing these goals. We tend to think about our goals in our mind but it was just a thought that passed by us so saying it aloud is a commitment we just made to ourselves.

2. Reflect back on previous attempts that have made you to stop exercising. Do you see the same pattern that you are heading or what are ways you can do things differently this time? Were you exercising too much the first few weeks and you decided it was just too much work? Start off with the basics and work out a schedule that you can handle and slowly progress from that stage. Lets face it, these days everyone has a busy lifestyle with their career, family and friends. Try to find a routine that is simple, quick, and consistent that works for you!

3. Be patient with your exercising. Most of us exercise so we can lose weight, tone up, stay healthy, etc. Seeing results isn't anything that is overnight or the first week. There are no short cuts in life and that goes for exercising as well. If you want to see results you have to be patient with yourself. If you are burning more calories than you eat, your body is continuing to change. Even if its slower than you expected, results are still present but at a slower process than you want. As they say good things come to those who wait!

4. Be around people who have similar interest as yourself. Get a training partner whether you are training at home, gym, etc. Having someone who can motivate you when you are down or tired helps a lot! I've gone through that road many times and having that training partner helped me immensely. Of course, some of us may not have a training partner

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