With the New Year, many people have made goals to lose weight and exercise regularly. Whether you are starting an exercise routine for the first time or a fitness fanatic, staying motivated is the key to getting fit and maintaining it. Motivation can come in many forms, such as training for a race/event, an exercise partner or the possibility of dessert with every five three mile run.
To help you reach your weight loss or exercise goals, here are some fitness tools that can keep you motivated to workout.
- Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) - To get the most out of every workout and to ensure you are pushing yourself to the right limits, get an HRM. I prefer Polar HRMs with a wearlink transmitter, which has a flexible cloth chest strap. To learn more about HRMs check out, Heart Rate Monitors - What’s Your Max Heart Rate?
- Nike+ iPod Sport Kit - If you already own an iPod Nano, this will be the best $30 you’ll spend to keep motivated on a run. I’ve been using the Nike+ Sport Kit for the last several months and I won’t go for a run without my Nano and Sport Kit. I love knowing my current pace and getting a message from Lance Armstrong or Paula Radcliffe after I beat a personal record. Additionally, the Nike+ website provides run/goal tracking and community features to inspire more running.
- Garmin Forerunner - Get the accuracy of GPS to monitor your speed, distance, pace and calories burned with the relatively sleek, wrist-mounted Garmin Forerunner 305 (HRM) or Garmin Forerunner 205. For cyclists, check out the Garmin Edge Series GPS cycling computers.
- 10 Minute Solution DVDs - Do you have 10 minutes to spare? Whether it’s pilates, yoga, kickboxing or dancing, there’s a DVD available with multiple 10 minute workouts to target and isolate various body parts. If you can’t get to the gym or go for a run, watch and follow along with one of these DVDs to get a quick workout.
- Traineo - A free and simple website that allows users to report goals, workouts, diet and weight to a group of friends who monitor and support each other. Users can also join larger support groups to get encouragement from people with similar health and fitness goals.
If you are new to working out or getting back on the bandwagon, try to set manageable goals. Small wins obtained quickly will keep you motivated to work harder. As you achieve these smaller goals, keep on raising the bar and soon enough you’ll achieve that ultimate fitness goal.
