Motivate Yourself To A Healthier You

You know you need to get moving. The benefits of exercise are well documented through research. Exercise can improve your overall health, increase your self-esteem and decrease your stress. The first prescription for people who are depressed is to start an exercise program. Physicians are encouraging most of their patients to exercise. It is the secret to a long and healthy life.

OK, great; you know it already. So how do you continue to exercise when you are mentally fatigued, the weather is lousy and your stress level is through the roof.

Here are six great tips to help you continue on your journey to a healthier you.

1. See it in black and white. Call it a calendar, diary or list – doesn't matter. What ever you call it mark the days that you have completed your exercise for the day. Seeing it in black and white can be very motivating. Put the record in a place that you will look at each and every day. It doesn't matter if you plan to work out that day or not. Look at the record each day.

2. Reward yourself for good behavior. Write down specific short term (3-5 week) goals and reward yourself when you achieve them. Make the reward something that you don't get unless you achieve the goal. If you normally stop at the local coffee shop but your reward is a Latte then the reward won't mean much.

3. Challenge yourself to achieve something you might not otherwise attempt. Is your neighborhood or community having a walk/run event? Sign up and commit to completing the event on that day. You can find these opportunities in every community – bike rides, walk/runs, or swimming for charity.

4. Be clear about your reason to exercise. Are you searching for better health, sleep better, treat depression or increased energy and a new figure? Write your reason down on a piece of paper – preferably with a picture that represents your reason, and look at it every day. Keep your reason to the front of your mind and it will be easier to stay motivated on rainy days.

5. Consider a training partner. This is someone who engages in the same exercise routines to accomplish their goals. You can find partners for running, walking, swimming, aerobics – you name it, someone is doing it. You may be motivated by having an Internet partner with whom you share your goals and achievements. Or you may do better with a partner who can exercise with you.

6. Identify your usual excuses and provide yourself with answers. If time is an issue be sure you have everything ready to go and you schedule an adequate amount of time to work out. If you have young children arrange for a neighborhood sitter to watch them for short periods, or purchase a good quality jogging stroller to take them with you. Identify what you usually use as an excuse and fix it!

Exercise has an incredible number of benefits to our health. However, unless we do more than read about them we can't benefit from exercise. So get out and do it!