Make a Personal Exercise Commitment

You witness this every time. People rush to the gym as spring inches its way towards bathing suit season, or a friend is getting married in two months and they absolutely must fit into that tight, backless gown.

They give it all they can during their first week at the gym, and not seeing the results they want to see in a week, they give up.

What's wrong with that approach? For one, the exercises resemble an acrobatic act more like anything, and two, expectations from exercise are set too high. Hence, abandoning the program is almost always the end result.

How Does One Stay Committed To Exercise?

• First, be realistic. If you've never exercised, 10 minutes a day of good and consistent exercise is recommended. Don't go to the gym and spend three hours during your first visit. You'll end up with sore muscles, and possibly injure yourself. As you warm up and increase your stamina, you can work up to 15 minutes, then after a few sessions, increase that to 30 minutes.
• Second, engage in an exercise that you sincerely enjoy. If biking is not your cup of tea, then swimming is an alternative. Not into sports? How about brisk walking or vigorous gardening? Love the treadmill? Then get on it and start the exercise slow and easy. When you're ready for a bigger challenge, increase the angle of incline and up your speed and level.
• Third, reserve the same time every day for exercise, and make every effort to follow that schedule. Doing your exercise at a specific time of day consistently demonstrates that you've made your heart and overall well-being a priority. If you're a morning person, exercise before you go to the office, or if your energy picks up as the day wears on, then do it in the evening.
• Fourth, get a friend or buddy to exercise with you. Motivate each other and reinforce your fitness goals. There are other ways of staying committed, but these are the most frequently recommended ones.