Easy Ways to Motivate Yourself to Exercise

Exercise is one of those things that you either love, hate, or force yourself to do. It seems like the more some people exercise, the more they tend to love it. There are some quick and easy ways to break yourself into moving, and I would love to share them with you.
First, as with all goal setting, determine how motivated you are to change. Really think it over...are you ready for some subtle changes, drastic changes, or no change? If you are super motivated, drastic change can be a wonderful thing. However, in my experience, I am usually super motivated for about two weeks, and then I slowly find myself back to point A.

P90X and The Insanity work out are the latest craze exercise programs around. I have seen some of my friends get very fit, very quickly, but the results of toning don't always last forever, they require maintenance.

A great way to start motivating yourself is to take baby steps each day to a healthy lifestyle.

• Avoid elevators, take the stairs everywhere.
• Park as far away from your final destination as possible. If you are going shopping, all you are going to do is walk around the store anyway, so why not?
• Dance. Dance in your car, dance in your house, dance at your desk. Dancing is an easy and fun way to keep your body moving, without even trying.
• Get rid of your chair at work. Replace it with a balance ball. This will help tone you as well as improve your posture.
• Go for a walk on your lunch break. By taking a break from the office and walking around, your energy levels will increase during that mid-day lull, you won't have to spend more money at lunch, and it will give you an easy opportunity to knock out some exercise during your very busy day.
• Get into habits and routines. Train yourself into the habit of going for a nightly after dinner stroll or job. As your body gets used to this routine, your endurance will increase. 
• Join a class. Group exercise and boot camps are a great social activity geared toward getting you into shape. The instructors tend to keep you motivated and can be another support system to help you obtain your goals.
• Buddy-Up. It is always easier to start a regimen when you have a support system. (Plus Oprah says that if you can still have a conversation while exercising, your heart rate is in the right zone for cardio.)
• Find a 5k. There are tons of resources out there to find walk/runs. And they are usually for a good cause. Click here to find a race!

Everybody moves and exercises differently. Find what works for you, and run with it.