It is 3 o"clock in the afternoon, time for your exercise class, and you find yourself curled up in the sofa, with a good book in one hand, and a bag of chips in the other. You just can"t put down the book because you"re already reading the good parts of it. You think, "I only have a few pages left. Give me five more minutes, and then I will go to that exercise class." Five minutes pass. "Five minutes more!" Several minutes pass and you totally forget about that class, being too absorbed in what you are reading. A couple of hours later, you remember but you are already late. You compromise saying, "I will just go jogging tomorrow at the park in the morning." Morning comes, and finds you sleeping soundly in bed. You wake up at noon, realizing that you overslept. You again plan to attend exercise class in the afternoon, yet the same thing occurs.

Find this scenario familiar to you? Exercise is a word quite unpopular to those who really need it. To them, exercise is moving your jaw muscles or clicking the TV remote. And yet, they are also the ones who are enrolled in exercise programs and a whole wardrobe of exercise clothes. They have the need. They have the materials. What they do not have is the motivation.

Some would say, "I am motivated." In fact, they attended a week of classes, because of that cute instructor. But when that instructor was transferred, the motivation is also gone.

It is truly hard to exercise without a definite goal or a solid motivation, especially if the first few weeks are rough and you feel that you are getting nowhere with your weight loss. Discouragement as well as laziness can easily set in. Some even experience a lowered self confidence, since they think that they really cannot do anything right even just to exercise. So, what can be done about this?

First, imagine your goal. What do you plan to get out of exercising? A great body perhaps, a healthier you? Try to visualize "Guided Imagery" specifically what you want to be after engaging yourself in an exercise regime. A smaller waistline, a larger chest, tighter muscles, no flab or fat and well sculptured body. Would you be wearing that two piece suit that you have only worn in your dreams? When you have a definite picture in your mind, keep it there. Dwell on it everyday and every time you have an exercise class. This will be your exercise motivation, your driving force. Guided Imagery, Hypnotherapy and NLP will keep you going. They can make you reach your goal and even beyond.

Secondly, try to visualize what keeps you from exercising.  Is it just plain laziness since it is quite an ordeal to move a heavy body? Is it fear of rejection or being ridiculed because of your size? These negative thoughts can hinder you from reaching your goal. Instead of thinking those negative thoughts, try replacing them with positive input. For example, instead of thinking my whole body aches whenever I exercise, you can say I am looking forward to that massage after I exercise for an hour. If you need a bit of help in trying to absorb these positive inputs, you can try Guided Imagery, Hypnotherapy or NLP. They are fast becoming the most popular therapies to help people be cured of bad habits, trauma, and even low self esteem.

Lastly, even with the right motivation, most exercise plans fail early because of high expectations and unreachable goals. Know your limitations, not just what you only think you can do. Push yourself to do more but discern when you need to stop. This will not only further enhance your motivation to exercise but will keep you headed towards being a better person, both physically and mentally.