One of the most important notes to recognise is that the benefits of weight training or keeping fit are only realised over time. Short bursts of enthusiasm will work, but not very well. For this reason, you must begin you new exercise routine with the right state of mind.
If you begin in a half-hearted way; like if you feel you have been forced into keeping fit by your conscience or a friend; the chances are you will mess around a lot at the beginning and eventually loose interest. Than you will not only be cheating yourself out of the benefits of training, but you will also kick yourself for not trying harder. Never make a snap decision to start a training routine as there is a lot to consider beforehand.
Exercise: Think about...
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If you are training because if your conscience, start off small - aim low. By gaining a little at a time (weight loss or muscle size), you can easily keep your motivation over the short term and keep it going.
If a friend has cajoled you into training or keeping fit, then it may be better to aim high. Show them what you've got! If you know you can loose 2lb or gain strong biceps then aim for it and go for it. If your friend is also fit - aim to be fitter or stronger. This will give you the determination you need as you strive to impress. This 'I'll show you!' mentality is a strong force in learning any life-skill.
Serious results can be gained if you maintain your exercise sessions throughout the year, without long breaks. Are you confident you can do at least some exercise each week for a whole year? Of course it depends on the intensity you are looking to train at, low intensity for health or high intensity for muscle gains, but you will need to 'top up' your body with exercises or you'll soon see those extra layers of fat creeping back.
Having said all that, remember that all exercise is beneficial. Anything which activates the muscles, rotates the joints and gets your heart pumping can only be a good thing, even if it only lasts two weeks. If it's the two weeks after Christmas (when all we seem to do is eat and drink), than that extra weight which we would normally carry around with us throughout the whole year could be burned off in one stroke. Does it sound a little more tempting? At the end of the day, you must start exercising because it's what you want to do, not what you feel you must do. New Years resolutions are rarely kept and pressure from loved ones will make you start for the wrong reasons. Make your training fun and enjoy life at its healthiest.
