Excuses, excuses

Winning strategies
So what are the secrets to success?

Gallivan advises beginning exercisers to start slowly, and then gradually build up. "Do more than you're doing right now," she says, even if that means just walking for five minutes three days a week at first.

People who come out of the gates too quickly risk soreness and injuries, which can dampen enthusiasm for exercise, she points out.

At an ACSM meeting earlier this year, Kyle McInnis, a professor of exercise science at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, led a panel of experts who discussed strategies for helping people stick with an exercise program.

Planning is key, the panelists noted. "Set realistic goals," says McInnis, and be specific. So instead of saying you'll get more exercise in 2005, make a plan to play tennis with a neighbor on Tuesdays and Saturdays, for example.

Getting into the exercise habit is important for beginners, even if they aren't exercising all that much starting out, McInnis says.

'As soon as people start feeling better, you have them hooked.' — Karyn Gallivan spokesperson for the National Strength and Conditioning Association

Experts often recommend scheduling an exercise session into one's day, just like other appointments. Another approach is to fit in short bouts of exercise — 5 or 10 minutes — a few times a day, with the goal of accruing at least half an hour of activity.

The ACSM panel also advised that people consider seeking guidance from a trainer to individualize a fitness plan, enlist the support of friends and family, and monitor progress regularly to help stay motivated and not become too discouraged.

"Any behavior change only occurs one day at a time," says Barbara Ainsworth, a professor of exercise and nutritional sciences at San Diego State University.

And simple measures like intentionally parking the car further from the mall entrance, carrying out your own groceries and taking the stairs instead of the elevator add up. "It's built into your day so it's not seen as something extra that people need to do," she says.

Once people start making physical activity a regular part of their lives, they'll likely begin to see some results and have more energy, says Gallivan. And those can be powerful motivating factors.

"As soon as people start feeling better, you have them hooked," she says.

"Our bodies were made to move."

Smart Fitness appears the second Tuesday of each month.

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