1. Patience, patience, patience. One of the reasons that exercise programs rarely work for people is because we are not brought up to wait. Everything is on demand, from our favorite TV shows to our grocery purchases. With the internet, we can get anything we want with the click of a button. We know to stay away from Diet pills and "too good to be true" exercise programs on TV, but they do look so tempting - just fifteen minutes a day and six weeks to a perfect body? Sign me up!
But those results, if you are able to withstand the program long enough to get them, are not permanent, and are not healthful. Your goal should be different - your goal should include the words "lifelong" and "fit," not "skinny" and "ASAP." And what that takes is patience, because that kind of success isn't meant to happen overnight. It will take months, even years to achieve the fitness goals you want to reach.
Patience is a skill, not something we are born with. I'll say that again, in case you skimmed over it the first time: patience is a skill, not something we are born with. Got it? Good. And when you want to improve a skill, you have to practice. Choose the longest line at the grocery store next time. Take the longer route to get to work in the morning. Get into the slow lane of traffic. Walk to the corner store instead of driving. Take deep breaths, relax your shoulders and your hands, and smile. Those three things can instantly make you feel better about whatever situation you're in. Note what techniques work best for you and save them in your bag of tricks. You will need them later.
2. What works for others probably won't work for you. If there were one magical exercise or technique that worked for everyone, there wouldn't be such a huge variety of exercises out there to choose from. It doesn't matter what your skill level is, what your activity level is, or what your interests are: there is something out there for you. The trick is finding it. You may already know exactly what you want to do. Maybe you have happy childhood memories of playing soccer or tag with your friends. Maybe you have always loved to bowl.
But maybe you've never been active, and you have no idea where to begin. I suggest starting with the Big Three: running, cycling, and swimming. Give each of them a good, real-life try. In other words, try each of them three times: once to learn your way around the motion, once to get used to it and get a groove going, and once to do it the way you'd be doing it every time - with proper posture and technique. Only then will you know if something is going to work for you. If one of the Big Three catches your fancy, then you have something to go on. If not, then perhaps something more social is in order. Pay attention to how you feel and what you wish you had when you're trying new things out.
Go on the Internet - this can be a tremendous resource for information and opinions. Thinking about rock-climbing, but don't know where to start or whether you'll like it? Go to a rock-climbing forum and ask questions. Don't be shy; most people who are passionate about a certain activity will have NO PROBLEM talking all day about it, answering questions and giving their personal experience. Soak it all in, and soon you will hit on something that will work for you.
Finally, don't let ANYONE tell you that what you've chosen is somehow wrong or inappropriate. Only you know what you truly enjoy, and paying attention to social attitudes towards that activity will only lead to misery. If you want to try boxing, power-walking, karate, parkour, or any other stigmatized exercise, then just go ahead and do it! Regardless of what other people say, your goal is to get fit, not to fit in.
3. Money is no object. Okay, so maybe it is an object, and maybe it's an important one, but think about what's at stake here - your lifelong health - and compare that to other things you spend money on. Too many people dismiss a gym membership or a new set of weights because of the cost of the equipment or the monthly fees. But what other things are you allowing yourself to spend money on that aren't as important as your health? If you know you're going to go to the gym every day, then cut spending in other areas so you can make that happen. You're spending for your life now, not just for your immediate comfort. You could be adding years to your life with the money you spend on your fitness goals. Don't be afraid of spending too much.
But be realistic. Again, go to the forums online, find a group of dedicated people and ask their opinion. Do you really need that hat with the thing hanging off of it to learn how to play golf? Do you really need the fancy wrist-band or that camel-pack for your 2-mile runs? Spend your money wisely, but spend it when it's necessary to help you reach your goal.
An added bonus is that most people tend to put more energy into their investments. If you don't spend a dime on an endeavor, it's probably not going to be really high on your list of priorities. But by funneling a little of your hard-earned cash into your exercise program, you're more likely to pay attention to it and keep it up, so your investment will be worthwhile.
4. Get over the negative self-talk right now. Seriously, do it now. Go online and find articles, forum posts, and stories about people who have succeeded in your exercise program of choice. Save them in a giant Word document and keep it handy at all times. Find photographs that inspire you and hang them up everywhere. Designate one of your shirts or a pair of shoes as "lucky" and wear them whenever you need a boost.
Of course, none of this will be worth anything if you don't know when you need a boost. A lot of people don't even notice when they're talking down to themselves. It's become such a habit for so many people to be self-derogatory that they'll tear themselves a new one without even realizing the damage they're doing. Start noticing. Listen to feelings like "don't want to," and "can't." The second you spot those feelings, shoot them down. Imagine you're playing a video game, like Asteroids or something. Each negative thought is a giant space rock coming to crash down upon you and destroy your entire world. You are the only one who can save yourself! Shoot them down with brutal accuracy. Those thoughts are not your friend and they will not help you. They want you to fail. The more you shoot them down, and the more you put a stop to them, the less frequently they will come around. Soon, your brain will no longer be plagued by unhappy thoughts and you will be free to explore this new part of space as freely as you like.
5. Get someone to hold you accountable. Whether it's a real-life person, such as a spouse, a parent, or a friend, or someone online like a blog audience, give someone the authority to yell at you when you are slacking. Make sure it's someone you trust and respect, because otherwise their words will go unheard by you. Tell them to be brutal. Tell them to be persistent. Tell them that no matter what you say, no matter what excuse you give, they are to badger you relentlessly until you get off your seat and exercise. Even if you only do it out of spite, it doesn't matter, because it's still exercise.
Make sure, of course, that the person or people you choose can handle a little backtalk, because you will talk back. There will be a day when you really, really don't want to do anything. But those days do not represent your life or your future. Those days are anomalies and don't happen often enough to decide the rest of your life. The decision you're making today to change your life for the better is your default setting. Someone who cares enough about you to kick your in the rear from time to time will understand what you're trying to do, and will be doing it for your own good.
6. Join a club. Whatever it is you decide to do, find other people who also do it. This is another way the Internet can help you out. No matter what activity you settle on, no matter how strange or unusual it is, there is an Internet community out there devoted to only that. Finding other people who do what you do can provide a great sense of accomplishment and unity with the world. When you don't feel alone, you feel more motivated to do what needs to be done. When you're feeling frustrated, having friends who have been there can be invaluable. You don't even have to say anything. Just being there, being around people of a like mind, can boost your spirits tremendously. Of course, a community is even better when it's a "real life" one. If your city or neighborhood hosts a team or a club devoted to your activity of choice, join up immediately. You want to surround yourself with people who will encourage you to achieve your goals. Being able to call someone up or meeting someone for coffee and venting can work wonders.
Of course, the really amazing part is when you become the motivator for someone else. One day, you'll be the one to say just the right thing to someone who is in your position now. You'll be able to think back to this day, when you felt unmotivated and scared, and give them real advice based on real experience, and it will help them the way your mentors help you now. And nothing could be more fulfilling than becoming a role model for someone else who wants to change their life.
Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2322566/fitness_staying_motivat...