Getting fit: how to stick with it

No excuses this time. Follow these five steps and you'll give up giving up forever

So, you're finally ready to make a fitness commitment again. For many of us, that means joining a gym, renting a popular exercise video or buying the latest fitness contraption we've seen on TV. In a couple of weeks, however, you may find the only pounds you've lost come from your wallet, since effort rarely matches intention.

The most important factor in understanding why most individuals don't stick to a fitness regime is because they don't make a lifestyle change but take a stab at a partially thought-out exercise plan. Fitness is not something that starts one month and ends the next. It's also not something that ends up being more beneficial to your new health club than to you. Fitness is a balanced, holistic discipline that stays with us for life. If your fitness plan isn't realistic you're more likely to quit and fall short of your goals. The following tactics, when followed together, will keep you loyal to your fitness programme and help make exercise a permanent part of your life.

Proper training. Unless you're a body builder or training for a specific race, you won't need to work out more than five times a week for a period of 20 minutes to 1 hour. During the week, your programme needs to include cardiovascular (brisk walking, cycling or running, for example), resistance training (weight lifting or Pilates) and flexibility (stretching or yoga) workouts. While there is no question that exercising consistently is important, more is certainly not better. It is the quality, not the quantity, of physical training that keeps you healthy. Many people make the mistake of overtraining and end up injuring themselves and quitting their exercise plan altogether. There is no benefit at all in pushing yourself too hard.

Consider your diet. Another reason most people don't stick to their workout plan is that they don't see the desired results from exercise alone. To get the body you want, it's crucial to eat healthily as well. Remember, we are what we eat. Each day drink about 2 litres of water, and try having five or six small meals that balance your carbohydrate, protein and fat intake. This way, your body will be properly fuelled to train efficiently.

Vary your workouts. Try the Heineken effect (where certain workouts hit parts others don't reach) in order to constantly challenge your body and see positive physical results. If you tend to do mostly cardio workouts, mix up your routine and try strength training or a mind/body class like yoga or Pilates. You'll be working different muscles and you'll start toning more quickly than if you stick to one kind of exercise. Going to a new class, using a different piece of equipment or trying an exercise video will keep you interested in exercise and make you less likely to quit.