Exercise: 8 Ways to Keep at It

Do you need some extra motivation to stick to your exercise program? Try these tactics:

Ask someone to be your exercise buddy — many people agree that having someone to exercise with helps keep them going.

Listen to recorded books or music while you do endurance activities.

Set a goal and reward yourself when you reach it. For example, treat yourself to a massage or a manicure when you've reached a exercise milestone, like walking a certain distance.

Give yourself physical activity homework assignments for the next day or the next week.

Think of your exercise sessions as appointments and mark them on your calendar.

Keep a record of what you do and the progress you make.

Understand that although there will be times when you don't show rapid progress, you are still benefiting from your activities.

Plan ahead for travel, bad weather, and houseguests. For example, an exercise video enables you to exercise indoors when the weather is bad.