How To Get Fit?

Develop the right attitude. The mind may not be a muscle, but it's still incredibly strong, and can make the difference between succeeding and failing at your goal. Being fit is a marathon, not a sprint, and it requires making changes to your entire lifestyle. Don't give up when you're not getting what you're heading for...

• Don't approach this with the mindset that you can abandon the changes you make as soon as you reach your ideal fitness goal or you risk slipping into your bad habits again. Being fit should mean incorporating things into your life that you can eventually do by habit.

Keep track of your progress and be proud of minor improvements. It is a good idea to start a 'fit journal' so that you can keep track of when you work out, what you do, and for how long. You can also log what you eat each day. You may find that when you have to write down whether you snacked or not you may be less inclined to snack.

• Don't think that just because you have one setback, you may as well scrap it all and give up for the day. Don't be discouraged if you stop losing weight or stop gaining muscle; remember that plateaus are normal but overall you've put yourself on an upward trajectory and that's definitely something to be proud of.

Create a commitment contract with yourself. These contracts are otherwise known as a reward system. Set a goal for yourself and then decide upon a reward for yourself. Pick an item that you really want or something that you really want to do.

• For instance, make a contract with yourself that states that if you go on a run for 30 minutes every day you can buy that cute shirt or new golf clubs you have had your eye on for weeks now.

Get someone else to get fit with you. It is much easier to reach your goals when you have someone to share the pain and the gain. Create a schedule that you can both commit to and keep each other on track.