1. Create a mission statement – The exercise of thinking about and
scribing a firm statement of why you are working out is a powerful jump-start motivation technique. Be specific when writing your exercise mission statement. Write or type it up nicely and frame it. On days where you are lacking gusto, refer back to it as a reminder.

2. Visualize results – Leverage the mind-body connection and
develop a clear visual mindprint of the results you will get. Revisit that visual to stay motivated.  They say ‘you are what you eat,’ but in this case ‘you are what you think!’

3. Try something new – Change is a good thing, physically and
mentally. By changing up your workout periodically, your body is challenged in new ways. You’ll be pumped up for more when you see how well your body is at adapting to new activities.  If you are a runner, try adding resistance training. If you like team-sport activities, try adding a group personal training series.

4. Surround yourself with positive people – Positives vibes are
contagious! And nothing helps you achieve exercise success better than an accountability plan. Working out with a partner will keep both of you focused and revved up.

5. Take a breather – rest days are OK!  Not only are rest days OK, they are necessary. Don’t beat yourself up for taking couple days off after an intense workout. You’re not slacking – you’re recovering! For many, it’s easy to overtrain, and you’ll run the risk of unwanted time-outs if you get injured.  So relax and enjoy a no-workout day at least once a week.

6. Keep a journal – Ever exercised for a while a wondered if you were actually making any progress? By keeping a workout log, you can reflect back to notes from a month ago to see how far you’ve come. Consider adding photos to your journal so you can actually see your progress.

7. Let your family or friends inspire you – If someone in your life incorporates fitness into their life, observe how they do it. From managing busy schedules to the varied types of activities, let those that are successful with exercise be a silent (or public) leader for you.

8.  Sign up for an event – Find an activity that intrigues you, but one you have not done before. For example, if you’ve run the 5K, next time try the half-marathon.  Knowing there is a date and time established will help push you toward you goal. (Need an event? Check out the Arizona Distance Classic at www.arizonadistanceclassic.com).

9. Plan an active vacation – By scheduling a climbing adventure, sea kayaking trip, or even a yoga retreat, you will have a two-fold motivation solution:  a physical goal of readying your body and a celebration/reward built right into to achieving that goal. If your “fitness vacation” will demand new levels of performance, be sure to give yourself amply time to properly condition your body.

10. Reward yourself!  Rewards are an important ingredient to ANY performance plan – fitness, professional or otherwise. Actually achieving the end-result is a reward in itself, but don’t forget to treat yourself along the way. Set milestones that are challenging and progressive.  If you are training for a 10K, go get a massage when you trim minutes off your best-ever 5K time.