Sanitarium

The Health Food Company

More about our healthy steps programme

Can't be bothered to work out? Use these hints to make fitness fun again and get the most from your exercise.

Whether you enjoy swimming, jogging, dancing or trampolining, exercise is vital for - amongst other things - a healthy heart, increased energy levels and better sleep. But many who start off with the best of intentions soon get bored of the same workout every day, or simply don't know how to maximise the benefit of their exercise. Whether you're starting a structured exercise regimen or looking to fit more exercise into your day, these 10 tips will help you on the road to exercise success.

Before starting a new exercise regimen, see your doctor for a check-up and advice. This is important for anyone, but especially if you are overweight, over 50 years old, pregnant, suffering from a medical condition or if you have a family history of heart disease.

Start off slowly and aim for 30 minutes of activity on most or all days of the week. If you can't find 30 minutes in your busy schedule, it's fine to break it into three 10-minute slots instead - maybe one first thing on the morning, one at lunchtime and one after work.

Choose activities you enjoy, not just ones that tire you out. And it's important to vary the activity you choose to stop yourself getting bored. Maybe you could go for a run one day, join a spin class the next and have a game of frisbee with the kids at the weekend.

Wear comfortable, properly fitted footwear that's right for your chosen activity and dress in loose clothing that allows flexibility. If you're exercising outdoors, wearing a few thin layers allows you to control your temperature easily when you start to warm up.

Find a time and place that fits into your lifestyle and write down a schedule so exercise becomes a regular part of your week. Stick to this as far as possible, but allow some room for flexibility in case something comes up. Try not to get discouraged if you miss a day or are forced to stop for a while - just start again gradually.

Get plenty of support. Surrounding yourself with people that you can exercise with and those who regularly ask you about your progress will help keep you motivated. Maybe you and a friend could work together towards training for a 10k run for charity, or take up a new sport together such as badminton or tennis. Another good way to meet other like-minded people with the same fitness goals is through an exercise class at your gym.

Drink water before, during and after exercise. Even on a cold day you will lose water by sweating. Being properly hydrated will allow you to perform better and for longer.

When you've finished, write down how long you exercised for, how much you achieved in that time and how you feel. You can use this to gradually build up your time, speed or distance, then reward yourself when you have achieved a milestone by buying that new item of clothing or having a fun day out.

Try to find missed opportunities to be more active during the day. Maybe you could get off the bus a stop earlier, climb the stairs instead of taking the lift and walk around the room while talking on the phone instead of sitting with your feet up.

Use music to help keep you entertained and motivated. Load a selection of songs on your iPod that make you feel energised and the time will fly by.