How to Get into Shape: Enjoy Yourself

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Outside Magazine, May 2005

Bodywork: The Play's the Thing
Set Your Brain on "Fun"
When it comes to fitness, the biggest hurdles aren't broken bike chains or trees blocking the trail. They're mental snags that trip up your willpower. Getting more out of your training means focusing on your energy level rather than hours logged or weight lifted. Here's how to stay motivated.

By Ted Spiker


	HAVING FUN YET? Bloom in low orbit (Photograph by Cliff Watts)

OBSTACLE:
"I HAVE NO TIME"
The Fix: Instead of training a certain amount every day, assign yourself a weekly minute total—whether it's 100 or 1,000. This technique encourages flexibility: If you miss a big workout, you can still do something that counts toward your overall plan.

OBSTACLE:
"I'M NOT THAT GOOD"
The Fix: Set short-term goals. If you're training for a long endurance event six months away, create benchmarks you can accomplish every two months. In the first two months, focus on stamina (set a mileage goal for a long run), then work on power (a squat weight), before putting them together in the final two months.



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OBSTACLE:
"I'M WHUPPED"
The Fix: Play your favorite sport when you're tired. Having fun is the best way to banish the blahs and reap physical benefits. "The answer isn't to pick it up," says Natalie Durand-Bush, a sports psychologist at the University of Ottawa. "The answer is to give yourself a break."

OBSTACLE:
"IT HURTS"
The Fix: Embrace the pain—so long as it's not caused by a real injury, like a muscle pull. "Small amounts of discomfort stimulate strength and conditioning gains in shorter time," says Chris Jordan of LGE Performance Systems, a training firm for athletes and business execs.

OBSTACLE:
"I'M BORED"
The Fix: Create your own multisport routine. Instead of going out for an hour run or ride, find a trail and run out and back for 10 to 15 minutes, then hop on your bike and go hammer for 30 minutes. Finish off the workout with 15 minutes of hill intervals. The key is to adjust your workouts so you're not doing the same order, or same exercise, every time.

Next Page: Treadmills are fine when the weather isn't, but once the sun comes out, you need friendly competition and contests that turn exercise into a romp

TED SPIKER is a fitness writer and an associate professor of journalism at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

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