Making Exercise Part of Your Everday Life

The best way to stick to maintain your fitness is to make exercise part of your everyday life. The trouble is that many people only decide to tackle their fitness once or twice a year – perhaps when they want to lose weight in the New Year or when they want to tone up to wear a bikini in the summer – which just isn't enough. There is very little point signing up to a gym as part of your New Year's resolution if you only end up going for a few weeks before giving up on it. You therefore need to find a way to make exercise something that is normal to you do, rather than as something you have to go out of your way to do.

If exercise becomes part of your everyday life, you won't even bother to think about whether you should do it or not, as you're too busy getting on with it. In the past, it seems that more people kept active without even really thinking about it. Instead of driving everywhere, they walked, and going for a bike ride or walk in the countryside with their family was a pleasure rather than a chore. Nowadays, though, many people feel that they have to join a specific exercise class or join a gym in order to get their workout and keep fit, which they aren't particularly inclined to do, either.

Being fit isn't just about being slim and toned – it is more to do with your general physical condition. You don't have to look like a professional athlete to be fit and so it is more important to find activities that you enjoy doing and which you can fit into your everyday life, rather than becoming obsessed with being thinner or more muscular. It only takes small steps, as just increasing the amount you walk can benefit your fitness. Therefore, whenever you get the chance, you should leave your car at home and walk to school or to work or to the shops, for instance.

It also helps to get the whole family on board and to encourage your friends to do something with you, as well. To stay motivated, it is good to have the support of others and you can spur each other on to try harder than you otherwise would have. At the end of the day, though, you're trying to keep fit for your own sake and sometimes there won't be anyone else there to keep you focused. Plus, finding the time for exercise can often be a challenge. However, you should be able to find at least half an hour in the day to do something, especially if you turn off the television! Alternatively, you could always watch the television whilst you're actually exercising!

If you make exercise part of your everyday life, you will discover that it is not such a hardship to make time for exercise, as you look and feel much better for it. You can also feel reassured that your long-term health prospects are far better than for someone who leads a sedentary lifestyle, thus giving you an added incentive to continue exercising.