Health-and-Fitness online information.

Starting a fitness plan is simple. Sticking with it is the challenge. But you can do it. All you need is a little motivation, and the following advice will give you the push you need to reach your goals.

* Be patient. A lifetime of bad habits can't all be erased in a few short days, even months. It takes at least a month before you begin to see results, but you'll feel better almost immediately. Change will come, but it takes time. Relax and enjoy the ride.

* Avoid the scale--it is your enemy! You should lose about 1/2 pound to 2 pounds a week if you're exercising regularly and eating sensibly. If you're weight training, you'll also gain muscle--which is denser than fat--so you may lose inches faster than pounds.

The scale, however, does not take these factors into consideration, especially if you weigh yourself daily. So even though you're making progress, according to the scale, little has changed. Instead of getting discouraged by the numbers, gauge your progress by how loose your clothing is, or buy something a size too small to see how long it takes before it comfortably fits. If you must weigh yourself, once a week or once every two weeks is enough.

* Find fitness cheerleaders. Committing to fitness is not so tough when you have someone to support and encourage you. Team up with a workout buddy, hire a personal trainer for a few sessions, join a support group. Find someone who once walked in your shoes and solicit advice. Collect stories of ordinary folk who won their battles of the bulge for inspiration.

* Do something you love. You're more apt to exercise if you link fitness to a fun activity. Swimming, gardening, walking, dancing, skating--do whatever gets you moving, sweating and excited.

* Set realistic goals. Instead of saying "I want to lose 100 pounds in 90 days, run five miles a day, bench press 250 pounds," say "Each week, I want to walk or run a little farther, lift a little heavier, look and feel a little better than I did the week before." Eventually you will meet those big goals, but it's the small victories that fuel you to the finish.

* Celebrate your success. If today is the day you finally did 10 full sit-ups without blacking out, celebrate! Treat yourself to a day at the spa or a night on the town. Throw a party. Rewarding yourself when you reach both major and minor milestones gives you that extra incentive to keep striving.

* Forgive and forget. If you miss a few days of working out, or spoil a perfect week of healthy eating with a weekend junk-food binge, so what. It doesn't mean you're hopeless, just human. Discover the reasons behind your pitfalls and change your strategy so you won't slip so easily next time. Pick up where you left off and don't look back!

# posted by Medical Information : 2:49 AM