Whether you plan to exercise for general health benefits, to increase your physical fitness or to help maintain or lose weight — perhaps all 3 reasons are your motivation — it is important to select types of exercise that you can continue to do, week-in and week-out. The health, fitness and weight management advantages of exercise all depend on you being physically active regularly and for the long term.

Choose exercise that you enjoy

One reason people find their exercise programme falls by the wayside is boredom. If going for a walk gives you pleasure, turn it into a daily health and fitness opportunity. Walking with a friend can make it even more enjoyable and by committing to walk with them, you are more likely to do it and less likely to let other things stop you. Some people enjoy going to a gym for strength training exercises, where again, going with a friend may help you keep that commitment. But if you don’t enjoy the gym, then you could try exercising at home. Try new activities to keep yourself interested and motivated.

Choose more than one type of exercise

Your regular weekly exercise routine should include both aerobic exercise (such as walking, jogging, cycling, aerobics, or sport that involves running) for cardiovascular health, plus gym-type sessions for muscular and bone health. This combination will ensure that you work on all aspects of your health and fitness. Also by doing different exercise sessions you will add variety, and by working different muscles on different days, it will help reduce the risk of injury, as well as preventing monotony.

Vary the intensity of your exercise

Highly trained athletes often train according to the ‘hard-easy’ principle whereby one day of intense exercise is followed by a day of low intensity exercise, and so on. This principle can also apply if you have a lower level of fitness, as it will help avoid injury and will allow your muscles time to recover from hard work.

By aiming for an exercise programme that addresses all aspects of physical fitness — muscular strength, aerobic fitness, flexibility and endurance — you will need to select a range of exercise options anyway, such as weights training for strength, walking, jogging or cycling for aerobic fitness and endurance, and yoga or stretching exercises for flexibility.

Choose exercise options that fit your lifestyle

If you have access to a local gym or swimming pool, you may be able to go before work, during the day or after work – and fit it into your routine. This could be in the form of organised classes, going with a friend, or going by yourself.

If you have children who go to sports clubs and classes, you may be able to exercise while they are there, e.g. by walking around the pitches, rather than standing on the sideline or sitting in your car, or go for your own gym or swim session, while they have lessons.

Likewise, you may be able to fit in a walk, cycle or jog before or after work. The key is to be motivated enough to find a time slot in your day and prioritise exercise at that time.

Join a class or social sports team

Some people like the discipline of attending a regular class or course or joining a social sports team, and find that this helps them to exercise regularly. They also tend to try harder than they would on their own. Community centres and adult education colleges often offer classes in activities such as dance, yoga or pilates, as well as classes for the older exerciser. Personal trainers will offer a variety of group and individual sessions that can be matched to your needs.

You can also search the Internet or Yellow Pages for local sports clubs or outdoor activity groups — most offer instruction in activities and are happy to have new members. Check your local newspaper for local fun runs — most have a category for walkers too. Whatever you’re interested in, there should be something out there for you.

Have alternative exercise options that don’t depend on good weather or daylight

Having both indoor and outdoor exercise options means that you don’t need to give up your exercise when the weather or daylight closes in. For example, joining an indoor soccer team, trying aqua aerobics or setting up a stationary exercise bike somewhere will allow you to be active despite changes in the weather and the onset of winter.