Sticking to an exercise could be a major challenge for beginners. This is made worst by the time pressure of the modern world that we live in. All you need to do is to stick to your exercise routine until you cross the Threshold. The Threshold is when the mental pain of not exercising is more than the physical pain of exercising. Once the Threshold is crossed, the exercise routine would have been firmly ingrained in your life. Here are some tips that may help you to stick to your exercise routine until you cross the Threshold.

1.  Follow an Exercise Program

Never start exercising without a firm plan in hand. You must firmly know what you are going to do for every exercise session for the next 1 or 2 months. There are many exercise programs available on the internet and following one will keep you focused.

2.  Keep an Exercise Log

Keep track of your exercise progress. Log down what you have done and what you have achieved. You should aim to equal or better your exercise achievements. You will also feel motivated when you see the progress you have made.

3.  Compete with Yourself

If you have been running 2 miles in 20 minutes, consider doing the next run in 19.5 minutes. Use the same philosophy if you are doing weight training. It will keep you motivated and bring excitement into your exercise sessions.

4.  Reward Yourself for Achieving an Exercise Goal

Set a difficult exercise goal and train towards achieving it. How fast can you run 2 miles. Can you bring the time down to 15 minutes within a month. Can you target to do 10 full push-ups within a month. When you have achieved the goal, reward yourself. This keeps you motivated.

5.  Compete with a Buddy

Do the same exercise routine with a buddy. Compete with each other. Support each other at moments of weakness. This one single factor it the most effective in keeping you from faltering when just starting.

6.  Lock in Exercise Time

Commit you exercise time in advance. Some people may lock in 45 minutes in the morning. Others may do it in the evening and so on. Whatever your preference, lock in the time and declare it as sacred. Make it known to people who are in a position to take time away from you. Tell it to your family and tell it to your boss and colleagues. Do your best to stick to this.

7.  Commit to the Number of Exercise Sessions per Week

Do 3 to 5 exercise sessions per week. If you do end-up missing a session, quickly look for ways to replace it as soon as possible. As a rule, make sure you finish all your required exercise sessions before midnight on Sunday. This will force you to find time if you do miss a session.

8.  Exercise at Least 3 Times a Week or More

Build on the momentum of the exercise habit. There is a lot of interest in exercise when you just start. The exercise interest can subside as time goes by and other things come along. You should do as much as you can in the beginning until you have crossed the threshold.

9.  Vary Your Exercises

Change you routine on a monthly basis. Try a new exercise and then master it. If you are following a program, it should be already varying exercises. If it’s not , dump it and look for something else. Doing the same exercises day in and day out adds to boredom. This increases the susceptibility of stopping exercising.

10.  Make Exercises Enjoyable

Have your favourite music on when exercising. This has been shown to increase motivation.  Do make sure that you use as much up-beat music as possible to keep the excitement level up.

11.  Exercise First Thing in the Morning

This may not be popular with a lot of people but it has a lot of merit. Your control over time reduces as the day progresses. There will be a higher chance of you missing your exercise in the evening as compared to missing it in the morning. Getting exercise out-of-the-way early, also provides a sense of satisfaction.

Sticking to an exercise routine until you cross the threshold will give you correct weight loss. It will result in healthy and sustainable weight loss.

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