Sticking to an Exercise Plan

Unfortunately, sticking to a resolution to lose weight or just increase fitness levels can be an uphill task.

In fact many studies have shown that at least 50% of the people who start a fitness programme don’t make it past the first three months and even fewer people will get through a 12 month programme.

Despite the huge health benefits offered by regular exercise, large numbers of people struggle to get any exercise at all.

Start with the Right Attitude

Often, the reasons why you can’t stick to a health plan are psychological rather than physical, but there are things you can do to increase your chances of success:

• You must believe that exercise is beneficial to your health
• You must have a good perception of your own athletic abilities – pushing yourself too hard too soon can make exercise seem too difficult, making it more likely that you'll quit
• Believe that you can take responsibility for your own life and what happens in it
• Committed to a healthy lifestyle – eating a healthy, balanced diet will give your body the nutrients it needs for regular exercise, making it easier to stick to your regime
• Exercise helps to relieve stress and can help you sleep better so try to look at it as another means of relaxing

If you're in the right frame of mind it will be easier to stick to an exercise plan – even if your physical fitness levels are low to start with.

Set Yourself Goals

Motivation is a major player when it comes to sticking to an exercise plan so setting yourself short and long terms goals – that you can see yourself getting closer to achieving – will make you feel more positive about your exercise plan.

Make a plan of action and write down your goals, maybe on a chart or in a diary. It does not need to be a difficult plan, just a realistic timetable of what you are setting out to achieve and how you want to do it.

Don’t give yourself unattainable goals that will de-motivate you if you don’t reach them. A session with a personal assistant at your local gym will give you a better idea of what your current fitness levels are and they will be able to advise you of realistic goals that you can set yourself.

Make a List of Positives

Think about all the benefits of sticking to your exercise plan.

Make a list of the results you can expect to see if you stay committed to your programme – this could be improved fitness or weight loss, for example.

If you start to lose motivation, just recall these good points, focusing your attention on the positive results and feelings you will experience when you reach your goal.

Make a List of Negatives

Make a list of the negative consequences and feelings you are going to experience and what you're going to miss out in your life if you don't stick to your exercise plan. Also consider writing down what you dislike about being out of shape and refer back to this when you might be having second thoughts about getting some exercise.

To really motivate you, you might also want to consider carrying around a picture of yourself that you dislike, for instance on that was taken when you were most out of shape. Simply having this in your wallet can help you resist temptations such as sweet treats or lazy evenings on the couch.

Make Lifestyle Changes

Try to combine your exercise regime with other positive changes in your life, ditching some of the bad diet choices and other habits that you have spent a life time acquiring.

Prioritise your exercise routine; make it more important than other bad habits. Once you get into the good habit it will become part of your lifestyle. Don’t let excuses get the better of you when you first start your plan; if you get through the initial few weeks’ adaptation process you will start feeling comfortable with your new routine. The good news is that, for many people, exercise is addictive, so once you force yourself to get fit, you’ll soon miss being active and your exercise plan will begin to feel less like a chore and more like something you want to do.

Get Support from Friends

When people are left alone to their own resources they can find the commitment to exercise even harder. Support from a friend or family member can make a real difference while having someone to exercise with or waiting for you at the gym will make you more successful in sticking to your plan.

Achieving your goal

Following these suggestions will help you to reach your final goal. As with most things that initially seem daunting, exercise is not really as scary as you might first think.

Once you start to see positive results like weight loss and increased fitness then you will realise that exercise is fun and great for your confidence and self esteem.

Further Reading

• Feeling lethargic? Read this guide to boosting your energy levels and get in the mood for some exercise.
• Sticking to an exercise plan can improve your well being and, consequently save you money on your health insurance. Use our comparison tool to see what you can save.
• Once you’ve got the determination to stick to your plan, read our guide to weight loss through exercise to maximize the benefits.