3 tips for staying on track

We've all been guilty of it. You get a great workout schedule started, and you're feeling good. In fact, you're loving it! You've found exercises you enjoy, the timing is right, but then ... what happened? All of sudden, you're missing workouts, or cutting them short, and you have no good excuse. And then, it's even harder to get back in the swing of things. Trust me, I understand.

The Mayo Clinic has three rock-solid tips for helping you stick to your workout. Of course, first it's important that you find something you enjoy doing (for example, if you hate running, don't plan on running five miles every day -- that makes it too hard), but once you've done that, try incorporating these simple steps to make sure you don't slack:

• Set goals. Know what you want to get out of your workouts. A weight loss goal is fine, as is a goal of hitting the gym four times a week. Or, maybe you just want to have more energy. Either way, have that goal set in advance.
• Get a workout buddy. Whether it's someone with whom you're competitive or just someone who'll hold you accountable for logging the hours, a friend will help you get more out of your workout. Unless, of course, said friend is more likely to talk you into getting ice cream instead of hitting the gym. Then you need to find a new friend.
  
• Try something new. Are you always going hard, trying to beat your fastest time, or lift more weight than you did last week? Change it up and try a yoga class, or something less competitive. You might get a whole new perspective on exercise!