Everything in moderation, including exercise. Don’t expect a body that’s been inactive for years to suddenly jump to full capacity without the chance of something really bad happening. Start slowly, increasing intensity levels or workout duration gradually and in small increments. This will keep you injury free and coming back for more.

Don’t rely completely on an exercise program to make up for an otherwise inactive lifestyle. Losing weight and getting in shape should be more than a formal exercise program, but rather a lifestyle change. Get involved and give up your couch potato status. Walk instead of taking the bus. Take the stairs. Join a bowling league. Whatever it takes, just get up and move.

Create a schedule and stick to it. If a missed workout is unavoidable due to an illness or emergency, reschedule, but don’t skip it altogether. That’s not to say you can’t schedule an occasional day or week off. We all need vacation and time away from our normal routine. Be realistic with your original approach, and missed workouts will become a much smaller problem.

Variety is the spice of life and can be the key to success in the gym. If you follow the same program day in and day out for years, your body will adapt, and the challenge will diminish – so will your results. Mix things up from day to day and week to week. Machines, free weights, push ups, swimming, jogging, walking, and the list goes on and on. There’s surely not a shortage of options. Change things up as often as you can.

I’m a big fan of both aerobic (cardiovascular) and resistance (strength) training, not to mention stretching, but a successful program can sometimes eliminate cardio, especially if your strength training is done with light weight, high reps and short rest. BUT you will NEVER change the shape of your body without the addition of some resistance work. Working with weights (even very light weight or body weight) will change your shape!

Pay attention! Don’t saunter in and out of the gym without being present and focused on what you’re doing. Track your reps, sets, and weights. Be sure to know how to find your target heart rate, and work within that level. Making timely adjustments based on the changes you see and feel will keep you progressing, as well as help avoid injury.