When it comes to exercise, we think about how to “get” fit. But often, starting out is not the problem. The big problem is keep it up. We have work to do, we have children to take care, we have family…We all know we should be doing more, but how do we keep moving when our motivation slips, the weather takes a turn for the worse or life gets in the way? Try these pieces of advice from experts to keep you going.

10 tips to keep moving

• Work out why, don’t just work out
• Get off to a slow start
• Be kind to yourself
• Find a purpose
• Plan and prioritise
• Work out from home
• Use visual motivation
• Follow the four-day rule

1.Work out why, don’t just work out

Our reasons for beginning to exercise are fundamental to whether we will keep it up. There is some evidence that younger people will go to the gym more if their reasons are appearance-based (“I want to get fit, I want to lose weight”). But past our early 20s that doesn’t fuel motivation much, nor do vague or future goals help. The only way we are going to prioritize time to exercise is if it is going to deliver some kind of benefit that is truly compelling and valuable to our daily life such as stress reduction, increased energy and making friends.

2.Get off to a slow start

The danger of the typical New Year resolutions approach to fitness is that people jump in and do everything – change their diet, start exercising, stop drinking and smoking – and within a couple of weeks they have lost motivation or got too tired. If you haven’t been in shape, it’s going to take time. To do that every day will be too intense for most people. Do it once (or twice, at most) a week, combined with slow jogs, swimming and fast walks – plus two or three rest days, at least for the first month. That will give someone a chance of having recovery sessions alongside the high-intensity workouts.

3.You don’t have to love it,make it a habit

It is helpful not to try to make yourself do things you actively dislike. A lot of people who stick with exercise say: “I feel better when I do it.” There are elements that probably will be enjoyable, though, such as the physical response of your body and the feeling of getting stronger, and the pleasure that comes with mastering a sport. Doing physical activity regularly and planning for it

4.Be kind to yourself

Skip the ideal of going to the gym five days a week. Be really analytical about work and family-related needs when starting, because if you set yourself up with goals that are too big, you will fail and you’ll feel like a failure.
It rains for a week, you don’t go running once and then you feel guilty. “It’s a combination of emotion and lack of confidence that brings us to the point where, if people fail a few times, they think it’s a failure of the entire project,” Remember it’s possible to get back on track.
If previous exercise regimes haven’t worked, don’t beat yourself up or try them again – just try something else.

5.Find a purpose

Anything that allows you to exercise while ticking off other goals will help. For instance, walking or cycling to work, or making friends by joining a sports club, or running with a friend.
Try to combine physical activity with something else. “For example, in my workplace I don’t use the lift and I try to reduce email, so when it’s possible I walk over to people,” says Sniehotta. “Over the course of the day, I walk to work, I move a lot in the building and I actually get about 15,000 steps. Try to make physical activity hit as many meaningful targets as you can.”

6.Plan and prioritise

What if you don’t have time to exercise? For many people, working two jobs or with extensive caring responsibilities, this can undoubtedly be true, but is it genuinely true for you? It might be a question of priorities, expert recommends planning: “The first is ‘action planning’, where you plan where, when and how you are going to do it and you try to stick with it.” The second type is ‘coping planning’: “anticipating things that can get in the way and putting a plan into place for how to get motivated again”.

7.Work out from home

If you have caring responsibilities, you can do a lot within a small area at home. In a living room, it is easy to do a routine where you might alternate between doing a leg exercise and an arm exercise.

8.Winter is not an excuse

Winter is not necessarily a time to hibernate, put your trainers by the door and try not to think about the cold/drizzle/greyness. It’s the same with going to the gym – it’s that voice in our head that make us feel like it’s a hassle, but once you’re there, you would think: “Why was I procrastinating about that for so long?”

9.Use visual motivation

Make a visual fit chart, when and where to do exerciser on calendar, put a gold star on days that you exercise, and it’s a good visual motivator for when feeling slug-like. I run, use our home cross-trainer and do a ski fitness programme from an app. My improved core strength has helped my running and ability.

10.Follow the four-day rule

Joanne Chalmers
I have one simple rule which could apply to any fitness activity – I do not allow more than four days to elapse between sessions. So, if I know I have a busy couple of days coming up, I make sure I run before them so that I have “banked” my four days. With the exception of illness, injury or family emergencies, I have stuck to this rule for 10 years.

What can I do to get more fit?

Any type of regular, physical activity can improve your fitness and your health. The most important thing is that you keep moving!

Exercise should be a regular part of your day, like brushing your teeth, eating, and sleeping. It can be in gym class, joining a sports team, or working out on your own. Keep the following tips in mind:

Stay positive and have fun. A good mental attitude is important. Find an activity that you think is fun. You are more likely to keep with it if you choose something you like. A lot of people find it’s more fun to exercise with someone else, so see if you can find a friend or family member to be active with you.

Take it one step at a time. Small changes can add up to better fitness. For example, walk or ride your bike to school or to a friend’s house instead of getting a ride. Get on or off the bus several blocks away and walk the rest of the way. Use the stairs instead of taking the elevator or escalator.

Get your heart pumping. Whatever you choose, make sure it includes aerobic activity that makes you breathe harder and increases your heart rate. This is the best type of exercise because it increases your fitness level and makes your heart and lungs work better. It also burns off body fat. Examples of aerobic activities are basketball, running, or swimming.

Don’t forget to warm up with some easy exercises or mild stretching before you do any physical activity. This warms your muscles up and may help protect against injury. Stretching makes your muscles and joints more flexible too. It is also important to stretch out after you exercise to cool down your muscles.

Your goal should be to do some type of exercise every day. It is best to do some kind of aerobic activity without stopping for at least 20 to 30 minutes each time. Do the activity as often as possible, but don’t exercise to the point of pain.

A Healthy Lifestyle

In addition to exercise, making just a few other changes in your life can help keep you healthy, such as

• Watch less TV or spend less time playing computer or video games. (Use this time to exercise instead!) Or exercise while watching TV (for example, sit on the floor and do sit-ups and stretches; use hand weights; or use a stationary bike, treadmill, or stair climber).
• Eat 3 healthy meals a day, including at least 4 servings of fruits, 5 servings of vegetables, and 4 servings of dairy products.
• Make sure you drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after any exercise (water is best but flavored sports drinks can be used if they do not contain a lot of sugar). This will help replace what you lose when you sweat
• Stop drinking or drink fewer regular soft drinks.
• Eat less junk food and fast food. (They’re often full of fat, cholesterol, salt, and sugar.)
• Get 9 to 10 hours of sleep every night.
• Don’t smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, or do drugs