No more excuses!

You joined a gym in Jan and promised yourself that 2009 would be your fittest year ever. But just two weeks later, your resolve dwindled and the gym became a distant memory. Don’t worry! For, according to a survey, you are just a small part of the 88 per cent of gym-goers who lose their resolve before the end of Month One (Another 9 per cent lose it by Month Three).

Helping you keep this insalubrious record going are daily excuses, some lame, others understandable. We listed out some of these dubious reasons, then asked Men’s Health experts to pick the ones that were legitimate. They found four: You’re sore, you’re sick, you’re exhausted, or you’re hurt!

For the rest, we’ve put down ways to keep those excuses at bay. Read on…

1. “I have no time!”
Combine things you do anyway with athletics. Walk to business meetings, go for a swim with your date, take a spin class to bond with friends, or simply, take your family hiking for the weekend.

2. “I pack my gym back and then the game starts on TV.”
Get Tata Sky Plus. Or any other TV on demand service. Tell yourself you’re going to do just half of your regular routine. Once at the gym, chances are you’ll end up doing your full workout!

3. “I don’t want to spend Rs 2,000 per month on a gym membership.”
Don’t. Negotiate a discount or get yourself a trial membership. With gyms cropping up around every street corner, this should be easy.

4. “I never see results!”
May be you’re not looking in the right places. Measure your waist and your weight. Write them down. Then measure again after a week or two. Celebrate even the smallest sign of progress. Muscles appear as fat melts.

5. “Four weeks, and no change in waistline or weight!”
Whether you see results or not, you’re strengthening your joints and connective tissues, which means you’re laying down a foundation for future muscle growth. Just don’t give up!

6. “I have no energy.”
Eat. You need the fuel. An active person needs up to 1,000 calories more than an inactive guy.

7. “I always get hurt.”
This happens when one doesn’t concentrate on form. Use light weights and max out repetitions. Increase weights 5 pounds at a time. And don’t forget to use a spotter.

8. “I don’t want to look stupid trying to use those space age machines!”
Approach new machines with enthusiasm. Read the placard, ask a trainer for assistance, and give it a shot. Nobody’s looking… Honest!

A quicker way to burn fat
At home, you flick between 201 channels on your new DTH service. At a buffet, you sample five different desserts. So why, at the gym, do you sweat all over the same piece of cardiovascular equipment for your whole workout? Instead, try switching machines with this routine put together by MH expert Micheal Meija, C.S.C.S. to see quicker results.

The workout
Try this 20-minute highintensity workout that will burn up to 50 per cent more calories than your regular cardiovascular exercise. On a scale of 1 to 10 (1=Couch, 10=Sprint), choose an intensity of about 7 to 9 for the workout portion, and about 3 for the warm-up and cooldown. Stay within your perceived intensity level.

Warm-up
Bike: 5 mins

Workout
Jump rope: 3 mins
Treadmill: 5 mins
Bike: 3 mins
Rowing machine: 5 mins
Jump rope (or cross trainer, if available): 3 mins

Cooldown
Bike: 5 mins

— Jamal Shaikh
Jamal Shaikh is Editor, Men’s Health. You may write in to him at jamal.shaikh@intoday.com Caveat: The physical exercises described in Treadmill are not recommendations. Readers should exercise caution and consult a physician before attempting to follow any of these.