8. Join a fitness message board
It'll be full of inspiration from men who have accomplished their
goals and are working toward new ones. Our particular favorite: the
52-Day Challenge. Created by a Men's Health Belly-Off Club Forum
member with the username "Determined," it's designed to foster
encouragement, discipline, and accountability. "Each participant
posts and tracks his goals for a 52-day period so that everyone is
accountable to the other members," says Determined.
9. Strike an agreement with your wife and kids
The rule: You get 1 hour to yourself every day, provided that you
use it for exercise (and reciprocate the favor). So there's no
pressure to do household chores, play marathon games of Monopoly,
or be a doting husband (a fat, doting husband). "Since it's for
your health, it's a contract they can't refuse. And that will allow
you to exercise guilt-free while acting as a role model for your
children," says Darren Steeves, C.S.C.S., a trainer in
Canada.
10. Burn a workout CD
Studies have shown that men who pedal stationary cycles while
listening to their favorite music will do so longer and more
intensely than men who exercise without music. So burn a disc with
your favorite adrenaline-boosting songs (maybe something by Limp
Bizkit orif you're over 40Hot Tuna).
11. Plan your workouts in advance
At the start of each month, schedule all of your workouts at once,
and cross them off as they're completed. For an average month, you
might try for a total of 16 workouts. If any are left undone at the
end of the month, tack them on to the following month. And make
sure you have a contingency plan for bad weather and unscheduled
meetings. "You're about 40 percent more likely to work out if you
have strategies to help you overcome these obstacles," says Rod
Dishman, Ph.D., an exercise scientist at the University of
Georgia.
12. Squat first
If you have trouble finishing your weight workout, start with the
exercises you dread. "You'll look forward to your favorite
exercises at the end of your workout, which will encourage you to
complete the entire session," says John Williams, C.S.C.S.,
co-owner of Spectrum Conditioning in Port Washington, New
York.
13. Schedule a body-composition test every 2 months
It'll provide you with a clear end date for the simple goal of
losing body fat or gaining muscle. "Tangible results are the best
motivator," says Tim Kuebler, C.S.C.S., a trainer in Kansas City,
Missouri. Your gym probably offers the service for a small feejust
make sure the same trainer performs the test each time.
14. Don't do what you hate
"Whenever you start to dread your workout, do what appeals to you
instead," says John Raglin, Ph.D., an exercise psychologist at
Indiana University. If you loathe going to a gym, try working out
at home. (Check the Men's Health Home Workout Bible for ideas.) If
you despise the treadmill, then jump rope, lift weights, or find a
basketball court. Bottom line: If you're sick of your routine, find
a new one.
15. Go through the motions
On days when you don't feel like working out, make the only
requirement of your exercise session a single set of your favorite
exercise. "It's likely that once you've started, you'll finish,"
says Rachel Cosgrove, C.S.C.S. If you still don't feel like being
in the gym, go home. This way, you never actually stop exercising;
you just have some gaps in your training log.
16. Start a streak
There's nothing like a winning streak to attract fans to the
ballpark. Do the same for your workout by trying to set a new
record for consecutive workouts without a miss. "Every time your
streak ends, strive to set a longer mark in your next attempt,"
says Williams.