Re: Exercise hints

[Guest guest]

10 MIND GAMES to help stay fit

1. Exercise beyond the gym.

  All movement is exercise. People need to give themselves more

options. Take the dog for a walk, bike to the store, take five-minute

stretch breaks. If you don't count something as exercise unless it

happens in the gym, you're missing some of your best opportunities to

stay active. 2. Creativity matters.

  This advice can be hardest for people who expect the most from

themselves. Why bother walking around the block when you should be

running your usual four miles? Because when you don't have time to do

all four miles, a brisk hike can keep you from feeling that you've

failed. 3. Set an agenda.

  Set a goal, such as increasing the speed, frequency or duration of

your activity. Maybe it's time to train for a marathon--or take a walk

up the hill in the backyard without getting winded. A personal trainer

can help you determine appropriate goals. 4. Try something different.

  Have you ever tried snowboarding? Bowling? Swing dancing? Body

surfing? Chi kung? How about reversing your power walk route? Exercising

at a different time of day? Physical activity isn't boring, but how you

participate in it can be. 5. Fool the brain.

  If you're new to exercise, diversionary tactics, such as listening

to music, watching TV or playing computer games may help you stick with

it--but stay aware of sensations that could signal injury or overdoing

it. As you become more experienced, associative strategies, such as

focusing on your breath or concentrating on the movement of your body,

can help you enjoy exercise more. 6. Find a mentor.

    Locate a friend, workout buddy, mentor or coach to keep you

honest. You can either exercise with your buddy, or simply check in with

him or her to report your progress. 7. Use work as workout challenge.

  Plan to park farther from the office and put your walking shoes in

the car the night before. Plan to take that new yoga class next week,

and call the babysitter now. 8. Face your challenges.

Does vacation throw your exercising schedule out of whack? Do projects

at work overtake your activity time? Do injuries sideline you? Boredom?

Fear of success? Fitness foes can be beaten once they've been

identified. You can change your vacation style, set work limits, get

guidance for injury-free activity, find new challenges, or face your

fears with counseling and support. 9.   Be sociable.

Choose places and times to exercise where there will be other people who

are actively involved in exercise. 10. Follow a script.

Use images of past successful experiences to remind yourself of how good

exercise makes you feel. Or repeat a simple phrase to yourself, such as,

" Every little bit makes a big difference " or " Inch by inch, anything's a

cinch. " If you use planning, flexibility and imagination, you won't ever

need to feel like a dropout again. >>