15 Oct Create a good environment to work out in

One of the most common complaints I’ve heard from people is that it’s hard for them to stay motivated to work out.

You can do a lot to change that simply by planning ahead.

Not only is it important to set aside time in your busy schedule to exercise, but you should start by setting up a successful environment in your home to work out in.

Place your fitness equipment in a comfortable room, one where you’ll enjoy putting in lots of hours of exercise. If you set up a treadmill in a crowded, cluttered garage, do you really think you’ll use it a lot there?

Now that could be different if it’s a big garage and set up nicely for exercising, or a basement that’s big enough and cleared out enough for fitness equipment.

Wherever you set up your fitness area, make sure it’s conducive to working out. Try to make it as fun a room as possible to be in. Set up a stereo and/or TV. Put up pictures or posters that motivate you. It’s hard enough to stay motivated for fitness the older we get, but if it’s a boring room to be in that certainly won’t make it any easier.

Make your fitness room a source of pride. Add equipment along the way. Maybe even give it a name. And keep working out!

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com