7 Killer Ways To Maximize Your Fat Burning In The Gym

Hey, we all want to shed some pounds and get back to the body that we had when we were younger and didn't appreciate it but it takes discipline, planning, and dedication to make that happen. All too often people shed 10 or 15 pounds and then seem to stop losing weight. There is definitely a reason this happens and it should not be seen as failure or an excuse to give up on your weight loss goals. Here are 7 absolutely killer ways to maximize your fat burning routine and help ensure success with your weight loss goals.

1) Anaerobic Exercise
If you think you can just run laps or pedal that fat away, think again. Muscle tissue is what burns the most calories in our bodies and you need to life weights in order to create bigger muscles that will burn more calories. Now although aerobic exercises such as cycling or swimming are also necessary, the fact remains that building bigger muscles is the best way to lose weight and keep it off. This is because you are creating a more efficient calorie burning machine by lifting weights which will ensure you success with your weight loss goals.

2) Warm-up and Cool Down
Warming up before exercising and taking the time to cool down afterwards with some light exercises are not generally seen as essential to a fat burning program. However, the reason why a lot of people tend to give up on their weight loss goals is because they failed to see the progress they hoped for when they began. An injury, even one that only lasts for a few days, can set your weight loss goals back by weeks and lead to a loss of stimulation. You need to plan an extra twenty minutes into your weight lifting routine for these two essential activities or you risk injury and derailing your weight loss plan.

3) Diet, Diet, Diet
This should not be a killer way to maximize your weight loss goals but it is. The reason for this is because people tend to think of losing weight in two ways: diet, or exercise. Hey, these two go hand in hand and you are never going to maximize your fat burning routine in the gym unless you take care of your body outside of the gym. Stop thinking of meals in terms of three: instead, think 5 meals with smaller portions. The FDA recently developed a new food pyramid with this very idea in mind and you should check it out before starting your fat burning program because it can save you a lot of time and energy if you get the diet part figured out before even stepping into the gym.

4) Plan Workouts
The body is the most complex machine on the planet and you can't just hope to step into a gym and jump on a machine or some weights and think that you are going to see the results you want without knowing how they affect your body. The ideal exercise routine is done only 3 or 4 times per week and only for 30-45 minutes at a time. You cannot work your body more than this because it will actually cause your muscles to break down which means you will be burning fewer calories, and therefore, not maximizing your fat burning routine in the gym. If you have any doubts about what kind of routine is ideal for your goals, don't be afraid to consult an physical trainer to help you set up a program that is best suited for you.

5) Nutritional Supplements
If you really want to maximize your fat burning routine in the gym, then you need to consider using nutritional supplements. Now I am not talking about those crazy supplements that promise to burn fat for you while you sit and watch tv! I am talking about essential fatty acids, amino acids, whey protein….things that will truly maximize your workouts that you can't always expect to get in the foods you eat every day. Again, consult a physical trainer if you want to know which supplements are best for your weight loss goals.

6) Set Weekly Goals
I know that this just seems terribly obvious but the truth is that most people are not thrilled with the idea of working out so it is easy for them to skip a session or indulge in some pizza and think that they will make up for it next time. Listen, next time never comes and when you stop seeing the scales go down, the motivation just seems to stop. By setting weekly goals, you can track your progress and make it that much more likely that you will adhere to the goals when you see things are not going as expected.

7) No More Late Night Snacks
This one may not seem to make sense, but I assure you that it will help maximize your fat burning exercises. The reason is your metabolism. When you eat right before you go to bed, it throws your body off and you probably notice that you awaken and don't feel hungry. Then, you skip breakfast entirely or only snack on a bagel or something on you way into work.

The result: the body goes into conservation mode. This means that it slows down your metabolism and that means you are burning less calories throughout the day. Plus, it increases the likelihood of snacking and basically just sets the scene for a bad cycle. Eating five smaller portioned meals per day also has to do with your metabolism as it has been found that metabolism remains highest when there is a consistent supply of food in the body. You might not believe that late night snacking affects the way your body burns fat when working out, but it does.

Now some of the things listed above are obvious while some just seem silly. And yet, taken together and consistently adhered to, these 7 little ideas will maximize your fat burning in the gym and get you to that body you can see in your mind but not the mirror far quicker than if you just go about things in a disorganized and inconsistent manner.

About The Author:

Wesley Atkins is a fitness and nutrition coach. His website "The Low GI Diet Breakthrough" reveals his inside secrets, tips, and resources that allow his students to routinely lose up to 19 pounds in just 21 days. To claim your free report visit: http://www.lowgidietbreakthrough.com



Copyright Wesley Atkins - http://www.lowgidietbreakthrough.com

7 Easy Ways To Boost Your Metabolism

Everybody benefits from having a quicker metabolism. Your metabolism is
responsible for many of the body's major functions including how many calories you
burn at a given time. Therefore, if your metabolism is fast, you will burn a lot of
calories all the time...even while you sleep.

Here's 7 easy ways that you can speed up your metabolism:

1. “Move around” more...

This one sounds a little strange I know, but from my years of experience I’ve found
that most people tend to not “move around” much throughout the day.

Many people have jobs where they are constantly sitting down all day, and when they
are done, go home, sit down some more to watch TV, and then they go to sleep.

Overall, they weren’t very active...

When I say to “move” more, I mean try to be more active whenever you can.

This doesn’t have to be a chore...most people have lots of opportunities throughout
the day to be more active. Here’s a few ideas that you can use:

·Take stairs instead of elevators
·When you go somewhere, park farther away so you have to walk a
little farther
·Walk your dog
·Go for a bike ride

These are just a few ideas...I’m sure you can come up with a lot more to suit your
own lifestyle.

2. Take a Good Multi-Vitamin/Multi Mineral...

Vitamins and minerals help the body perform vital functions.

Most people don’t get all the vitamins and minerals they need from the food they
eat.

Most people are deficient in one or more vitamins and/or minerals and they don’t
even know it.

Men and women can get specific multivitamins to suit their needs. Men need
more of certain kinds of vitamins than women and women often need more of certain
kinds of vitamins than men, like iron.

To get specific multivitamin packs specifically for men and women, you can visit your
nearest nutrition/health store.

I have found that the vitamin packs made specifically for men and women are the best,
and don’t cost an arm and a leg.

3. Don’t Go For Long Periods of Time WITHOUT Eating...

This lack of energy as food will make your body go into “starvation mode”
In response to being in “starvation mode”, your body will begin storing fat as a fuel
source.

This will lower your metabolism and also increase your body’s capacity to gain
weight...

This is the main reason why when you come off of a diet, you gain back the
weight you previously lost and many times even gain more weight than you had
before you went on the diet...

4. Essential fat?

Yes-even some fat is essential.

There are fats found in nuts and fish oils called Essential Fatty Acids or (EFA’s).
These fatty acids are actually essential for good health...

They make your hair stronger and shinier, as well as make our skin smoother.

They also help prevent fat storage throughout your body.

5. Do early aerobics...

If you do any aerobics, try to do them in the morning shortly after you wake up
and before you eat...this is when your blood-sugar is at its lowest.

Your body will need energy to power the workout, and since you haven’t eaten yet,
it will be forced to use stored fat as a fuel source instead of the sugar in your blood.

6. Water! Water! Water!

I can’t stress this enough...

Water does so many things for your body that it’s hard to know where to start!
Try to drink at least 48 ounces a day...that is about 5-6 glasses a day.

Water helps to rid your body of harmful toxins and will also keep you hydrated.

Here are some interesting and informative reasons why water is so important for your
health:

· 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (This likely applies to
half the world population)

· Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism by as much
as 3%

· Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

· Research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly
ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

· A mere 2% decrease in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term
memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on a computer
screen or printed page.

· Drinking 5 glasses of water per day can decrease the risk of colon
cancer by 45%, breast cancer by 79% and bladder cancer by 50%.

You will be surprised at how much better you will feel by just following this simple step.

7. Eat More Garlic And Oregano...

This seems simple enough right??

By simply eating more garlic and oregano, you are actually cleaning out your
intestinal walls. Sounds gross right?

You might be wondering “How can cleaning my intestines help me lose weight?”

The intestinal walls are actually made up of many tiny pores that absorb the nutrients
from the food we eat. These tiny pores are very good at absorbing nutrients and
keeping out toxins.

When your intestines are “dirty”, these tiny pores actually get a little bigger and along
with absorbing nutrients, they also absorb those toxins. Normally, these toxins are
too big to pass through the pores.

When this happens you become “toxic” and it is VERY HARD for your body to lose
weight and increase your metabolism.

And there you have it! 7 easy ways for absolutely anybody to increase their metabolism
and start living a healthier lifestyle.

About the Author

The Easy Health Secrets Weightloss Program is your step-by-step roadmap for fatloss
success...GUARANTEED!
Ryan Betzina has created the ultimate no-brainer, step-by-step weightloss plan to
have you shedding inches from those "trouble-spots". For more info visit:
http://www.easyhealthsecrets.com Also, sign-up for his FREE weekly tips and recipes
by sending a blank email to: mailto:ehsnews@getresponse.com

7 Beauty Tips for Looking Younger

Ever since Eve took that first bite of the apple, the human race has been obessed with beauty.

The truth is we begin the aging process just as soon as we pop out of the womb. Every day of our lives our bodies slough off and regenerate new cells. The speed at which that process takes place when we are children is vastly different as we get older.

Every day you are bombarded daily with commercial messages and beauty tips that attempt to lure you into believing that the most recent miracle drug is just what you need to fight off the ravages of Mother Nature.

We are living longer as a whole. Singularly, that can be a curse or a blessing, depending on your perspective.
The best route to natural beauty and healthy skin is to take care of what you have. Sounds simple, doesn't it? The truth is that your skin takes a beating from the environment every single day. Here are some of our favorite beauty tips for keeping your skin fresh and healthy:

1: Stay hydrated and do it with plenty of water! That does not mean soda, caffeine or any other type of liquid, even if it is low cal. Soda (even diet soda) has a high concentration of sodium. Sodium retains fluids. You need fluid that will hydrate and flush your body free of toxins. Make sure you are drinking at least 8 glasses a day!

2: Protect your skin from harmful ultra violet (UV) rays. We all love the sun. We love being in it and we love having a beautiful tan. The truth is you can poison yourself with too much sunshine. UV rays cause skin cancer and if that isn't bad enough it causes your skin to age faster than it should, contributing to unsightly wrinkles. If you must play in the sun, make certain you are using an adequate sun screen. Don't leave home without it!

3: Keep your skin clean. Use a soft warm cloth. Skin does not require scrubbing. You will do more harm than good if you do.

4: The best cure for wrinkles is to never have them in the first place! If you are like most of us, you didn't listen to your Mom when she tried to tell you to stay in the shade, stand up straight and stop squinting!

5: Eat healthy. Knowing how and what to eat, can make a huge difference in how you feel. Improper eating habits can cause depression, weight gain, illness and an overall lethargy.

Weight gain causes your skin to stretch. As you get older, it loses it's elasticity and you're left with sagging skin.
The best solution to this is to maintain a proper weight.

A rule of thumb for eating habits are...don't eat more calories than you consume. Don't go one single day without doing something extra and physical for at least 30 minutes per day. This can be three ten minute walks. Or 30 minutes of vigorous aerobics, or 12 minutes of weight lifting and 18 minutes of walking.

6: Don't worry, be happy. A happy outlook appears to trigger the release of endorphins. Endorphins relax the cardiovascular system and cytokines which alert the immune system to pay attention in detecting abnormalities like cancer cells. Listen carefully to yourself. If you have put yourself down since childhood, over a lifetime, negative subliminal messages can take their toll by turning you into a pessimist. Spend one week writing down the phrases you use in your "self talk." Chances are you will find that you repeat a dozen or so phrases over and over again that reinforce that negative image. If you know about them, you can change them. Outer beauty and inner joy go hand in hand.

Here are a few quick tips for increasing joy, hope and optimism that will work no matter what your age:

Make a list of at least 50 great things that happen to you every day.

Laugh a lot. You'll heal your body and your mind.

Discover a new challenge each month.

Try meditating for just five minutes each day.

7: Sex After 50 - Ha! How many of you jumped ahead to this section?

The importance of physical intimacy actually depends on the couple. An alarming number of men used to give up on sex after 60 and many women used to feel that their sex life ended with menopause. Thankfully, that is no longer the case.

Sex at middle age can actually become better and more satisfying than ever before. Maturity gives a couple more experience in lovemaking. The children are usually grown and left home. The pressures of building a career and day to day life are usually less stressful than in younger years.

Is beauty really skin deep?

The answer is yes and no. It's a paradox, isn't it? True beauty begins from the inside out. Don't you wish there was some way to "wriggle your nose" and regain that soft skin you had as a child? Well, until someone comes up with the true "Fountain of Youth" we are stuck with what we have.

Just remember that getting older doesn't have to mean getting old.

About the Author

Jill Miller is the founder of the Fit4Life Club.
Discover the timeless secrets of everlasting youth and beauty. Go here to find out how.
http://www.fit4lifeclub.com/beautytips

the advantages and dis advantages depend on what side of the economics spectrum you sit on keynesian or classical.

Once reserved only for the rich and famous, personal fitness training has hit the mainstream. A personal trainer is now as common as a pair of good cross trainers and a water bottle.

But unlike your hair stylist, your fitness trainer doesn’t need to be tested and licensed by a state licensing board. Someone with little more than a great body--but no experience--can print business cards, call themselves a personal trainer, and take your money.

So if you’re looking for a trainer, you’re on your own. Here are six questions to ask trainers either in person or by phone before hiring them.

1. Can I have references?

This is the best way to get honest information. A prospective trainer should be more than happy to give you a list of at least three clients whom you can contact. Ask the references if they achieved their goals, how the trainer helped them to do so, and what they liked best about the trainer.

If the trainer refuses to give references or acts as though it is a major inconvenience, look elsewhere.

2. Through what organization are you certified?

Certification is a credential given by an agency or institution with its own educational and testing procedures. Quality credentialing agencies require a thorough, and often expensive, process of certifying trainers. Usually this includes written, oral and practical exam components. Other agencies will literally "sell" a certification as long as the check clears.

Current popular and reputable certification associations include the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), and American Council on Exercise (ACE). Certification from any of these organizations doesn’t guarantee trainer excellence but shows only that the person successfully passed the minimum requirements for certification. While important, certification is a factor that should be used in combination with all of the other information that you are collecting.

The trainer also should also be certified in CPR/First Aid and be able to show you the credentials.

3. What is your training/exercise philosophy?

A credible trainer should be able to explain a philosophy of exercise training. You don’t need a doctoral dissertation here, only a description of how they help clients reach their goals. How do they train clients? How do they motivate them? Is there an assessment process? Find out as much as you can about how they work with clients to achieve goals.

What you are looking for here is a reflection of trainer credibility. If the trainer says something like "I kick my clients’ butts…No pain, no gain, dude," thank them for their time and move on. Be an intelligent consumer. Ask for specifics and clarification if you don’t understand something. This person is going to tell you how to exercise, give you lifestyle information and hold very heavy weights over your head.

4. How much do you charge and how do you expect payment?

Prices for personal fitness instruction vary widely based on where you live and trainer qualification and experience. As with everything else, you usually get what you pay for, but there’a no guarantee that the most expensive trainer will be the best suited for you and your goals.

Talk to other people who have used fitness trainers. Or call health clubs near you to determine the average rate in your area. If the trainer is meeting you at your home, expect to pay slightly more than average. If you are meeting at a health club, prepare to cover the cost of a guest fee if there is one.

Get specifics on all fees and how payment is to be made. Some trainers charge on a per session basis, while others offer packages and discounted rates for a given number of pre-paid sessions. Some accept only cash. Others accept checks and credit cards. Most fitness trainers have some sort of cancellation policy. Agree on all financial obligations before the first session and insist that both parties sign a billing contract.

Avoid at all costs the trainer who responds to a question about fees with statements like "How much can you afford?" or "How much are you looking to spend?" This is someone who has their wallet—not your fitness goals—in mind.

5. How do they look?

You should never base your selection solely on physical appearance. A person with a flawless-looking body may not know the first thing about safely teaching you how to achieve your own goals. This is especially true if they have achieved their own results through things like drugs, eating disorders or exercise obsession.

The person you hire will be teaching you skills and lifestyle habits and doesn’t need to look like a model in a fitness magazine. But trainers do need to practice what they preach. Let’s face it. Are you really going to respect someone’s opinion if you’re in better shape than they are? Probably not.

6. What’s your comfort level?

Above all, make sure you choose a trainer with whom you feel comfortable and whether their personality is a good match with yours. Above all, trust your instincts. Hiring someone with superior training knowledge is worthless if you don’t feel comfortable. You need to trust, respect and feel at ease with them.
You wouldn’t buy a pair of exercise shoes without at least trying them on to see if they’re comfortable. The same concept holds for hiring a personal fitness trainer. Set up an interview, ask the right questions, and follow your instincts for the perfect fit.

Jon Gestl, CSCS, is a personal fitness trainer and instructor in Chicago specializing in in-home and in-office fitness training. He is a United States National Aerobic Champion silver and bronze medalist and world-ranked sportaerobic competitor. He can be contacted at jongestl@jongestl.com.
jongestl@rcn.com

6 Fun Fitness Activities...

Exercising
and staying fit doesn't have to mean hard work. Simply being active will help
you get or stay in good shape. So with that said, here are some enjoyable
activities that can help with your fitness goals too.

Bicycling
When you ask many adults when the last time
they rode a bike is, they cannot answer. Although bicycling is a favorite
pastime, many adults do not take advantage of this great option for exercise.
Not only does bike riding exercise the body and build a stronger cardiovascular
system, it allows you to get out and enjoy nature, fresh air, and see new sites.

Jogging or Walking
Both jogging and walking are GREAT ways to
get fit. Not only do they tone the muscles, relieve stress, create a healthier
heart, and improve lung capability, they make you look wonderful, which in
turns helps you get excited about doing other exercise for fitness activities.

Swimming
Swimming is an excellent way to get into
and stay in shape. If you do not own a pool, many high schools have aquatic
centers, or there is always the YWCA or YMCA, or your local gym. Many offer
water aerobic classes that will help you tighten your body, lose weight, and
get a good overall workout.

Tennis Anyone?
Tennis is not only a fun sport, but also a
great way to exercise. You do not have to be a Venice Williams to play; in
fact, you do not even have to be good. Just running after the ball alone will
help get you into shape. This is a great way to strengthen your cardiovascular system
and lose weight. You can find tennis courts in just about every city and if you
would like to play but have no idea how, lessons are reasonable.
Tip: Raquetball is sort of a "one person tennis".
If you don't have someone to play tennis with, or you
aren't feeling sociable, try raquetball instead.

Dancing
Dancing is so much fun and whether you
enjoy a slow, Ballroom dance or a nightclub packed with people all moving to
heart-pumping techno, as long as you are moving, it really does not matter what
type of dance or music. The whole idea is to move your body. Dancing has long
been recommended as an avenue to fitness.
Tip: Belly Dancing is an excellent workout
for your stomach, waist and hips ladies!

VCR
If you have a VCR or DVD , rather than just using it for your
favorite comedy or action-packed movie, try sticking in some good workout tapes.
Even taking 15 minutes every day to work out will get you started. Try that for
two weeks and you will be surprised at the results. Once you see that 15
minutes a day makes a difference, you will be encouraged to increase the time
spent.

And one of my personal favorites...
Yardwork!
Whether you're pulling weeds, planting
flowers, mowing the grass or chopping wood: All of these activities can help
you get into better shape. Don't cheat yourself though. Using a riding mower to
cut the grass won't help you use the muscles or get your blood pumping ;)

So go out and get active, have fun, and
work on getting or staying fit too!

© 2004 Kathy Burns-Millyard and
The Health and Fitness Information Network - A large and growing health portal
featuring quality health and fitness articles, tips, news, advice and
resources. Visit http://www.health-and-fitness-information.com/
now and get subscribed to our RSS feed so you'll have
the newest articles as they're published!

Source: www.isnare.com

6 Advantages of Free Weights Over Exercise Machines

Meet Sarah.

About a year ago, Sarah saw an infomercial about a "multi-unit" workout machine. The announcer called it a "revolutionary" piece of equipment, claiming that people would see results in "just 2-4 weeks". It exercised all major body parts and the female model shown using the machine said it "was safer and more effective than free weights."

Intimidated by gyms her whole life, Sarah knew having her own home gym would be the key to her finally getting into shape. She had heard that machines were safer than free weights. Besides, the machine came with "easy to follow video instructions". The price was steep, but as Sarah imagined changing her body, she got her credit called and grabbed the phone.

On the day of delivery, Sarah was surprised to see it took up twice the space she was told it would, limiting space in her already cramped den. Excited to get started, she popped in the video, and hopped on the machine. Sarah soon found that she, at 5’3", was too small to fit on the machine for some of the exercises. She continued on anyway, trying to ignore the fact that her lower back and knees were starting to hurt a little.

Sarah used her new revolutionary machine exactly three more times. For the last six months, it has been her unofficial clothes hanger.

What happened? Sarah thought she was buying a machine that would be very easy to operate and be a safe alternative to free-weights. Unfortunately, Sarah and many others are misguided by heavily marketed hype by machine developers. When it comes to effectiveness, particularly for the beginning exerciser, free-weights (i.e., dumbbells) rate much higher than expensive machines in terms of:

1. Cost. Three or four sets of dumbbells would have cost Sarah less than 10 times the amount she spent on her machine. As she gets stronger, she would have to buy more, though even a full set would not set her back nearly as much as the machine did.

2. Space. Dumbbells take up far less space than most of the exercise equipment sold on infomercials. You can easily place them in a closet, out of sight under the bed, or in a corner. There are even dumbbells you can adjust (i.e., PowerBlock) that allow you to adjust the poundage on one set, eliminating the need for single-poundage dumbbells.

3. Variety. Most machines are designed as one-dimensional. Even the most extensive multi-unit machines will allow exercisers to perform only a limited number of movements in a restricted range of motion. Free-weights can be used in ranges of motion based on the exerciser, not a machine. Use free weights along with benches or Swiss Balls and you have multitude of exercise options.

4. Suitability. Sarah couldn’t use her "multi-usage" machine for certain exercises because the machine was too big. This is not an uncommon problem. Even though most machines have adjustable seats, arm pads, and lever arms, there are limitations to their range and some may not fit the very small or very large person. However, if you can grab a dumbbell, you can use it.

5. Functionality. Exercising with free-weights increases the likelihood that the effects of the exercise will cross over into real-world situations. Think about it. How often during the day do you lie in a diagonal supine position and push weight up like you would on a machine leg press? Probably never. But how often are you required to do activities that are biomechanically identical to the squat? Sitting, getting in and out of a car, crouching down to pick something up…all the time! Properly using free weights will increase the functionality of an exercise to real-world situations.

6. Safety. It seems counterintuitive to consider free-weights as safer than machines. Most of us have heard (somewhere..) that we could get hurt with dumbbells and that machines were "safer." Maybe just the idea of someone doing a huge bench press lends itself to imagining the likelihood that one might lose control of the same amount of weight if they ever attempted it.
Safety during exercise is more about proper form, technique, concentration and control rather than exercise apparatus. Someone can get hurt on a machine just as easily as with a dumbbell if incorrect form is used. As always, if you don’t know how to do something, find someone (i.e., a reputable trainer) to show you how.
Safety as a result of exercise is a long-term issue. It is not necessary for the body to stabilize itself or the weight during movements on most machines, because the weight apparatus is fixed. Key stabilizer muscles are then never given the chance to get stronger. Free-weights allow the exerciser to utilize core muscles and allow multi-plane movement that forces the exerciser to strengthen stabilizer musculature, which support joints. Over the long-term, free weights are superior to machines for building a stronger, more functional body.

You don’t need to spend a fortune on a piece of exercise equipment that you’ll never end up using and won’t suit your needs. A few sets of dumbbells are effective, intelligent alternatives to buying equipment, especially for those setting up their own in-home gym or workout area.

Jon Gestl, CSCS, is a personal fitness trainer and instructor in Chicago specializing in in-home and in-office fitness training. He is a United States National Aerobic Champion silver and bronze medalist and world-ranked sportaerobic competitor. He can be contacted through his website at http://www.jongestl.com.

jongestl@jongestl.com

50 Motivational Tips for Exercise and Weight Loss

No matter who we are, we all have days when we just do not feel like exercising. The weather might be grey, you've had a busy day, or you might just be bored with your program. Whatever the reason, you just don't feel like it!

It's on these days that we need that extra motivation.

I've been exercising regularly for most of my life so I've had plenty of those days. To get me through, I've compiled a list of tactics to help motivate me.

Read something inspiring!

It could be a biography, quote, poem, or song. Use other people's experiences to give you that lift.

Start a walking group!

It's more social and you all get to feed off the motivation of each other.

Think of exercise as a menu rather than a diet!

Make a list of activities and choose 1 each day.

Use a training journal!

By keeping track of your activities you can see the improvements in your fitness week to week.

Start an interest or hobby that requires physical fitness!

It could be bushwalking, rock-climbing, tennis, golf, or scuba-diving. If you require physical fitness to enjoy the activity you will be more inclined to train for it.

Increase your incidental activity!

This is the amount of activity you do in your normal course of your day, the activity not generally classed as exercise. You could: walk to work, take the stairs instead of the elevator, get up to change the channels instead of using the remote, or play with the kids for 15 minutes per day.

Try cross-training!

If your exercise program is always the same then break it up with one session per week of swimming, bike riding, jogging, sprints, or circuits. You could even play a different sport and use it as a training session.

Use a Personal Trainer!

Personal trainers can provide motivation as well as training variety.

Use an exercise video!

If exercising in public places is not for you, then try training at home. There are many forms of training available on video including: boxing, aerobics, pilates, and yoga.

Just start!

You will always be able to find excuses not to train so don't think about it, just walk out the door.

Listen to music!

Put on the stereo or use a walk-man. Music certainly helps the time go faster.

Watch TV!

Most fitness centers currently have a cardio theatre where you watch your favorite shows whilst you work out.

Read about the benefits of exercise!

We all know that exercise is good for us but do you know why it is? Reading a reputable publication on exercise can inform you of the great ways exercise can improve your life. It's more than just being able to walk up those stairs!

Don't complicate things, make it simple!

You don't have to find a fitness centre or join a Tai Chi group. Just find a nice park and go for a walk or run.

Create a list of reasons you want to be healthy and read it regularly!

It may be to improve health, play with the kids, or trek through India. Whatever the reasons write them down.

About the Author

This is just 15 of the 50 motivational tips I have collected. To see the rest go to: 50 Motivational Tips for Weight Loss