In the beginning, your fitness program should not be overly aggressive. One of the biggest problems people encounter when starting a fitness program is rapidly depleted motivation after only a few weeks due to an overly ambitious fitness program. Attempting to do too much too fast is worse than doing nothing at all! Because then you feel like exercise is too hard and it's just not for you.

Start out slow, maybe just shooting for 1 or 2 workouts a week. Once you have successfully added that to your normal routine, then attempt to slowly add to your fitness program. Plus, most people don't need to exercise more than 3-4 times a week. That doesn't mean you can't exercise more; it's just not necessary.

Always have a detailed plan. In order to reach your health and fitness goals, you must have a road map to follow. I can't stress this enough. If you are unsure of how to put together a fitness plan, or if you're uncertain of the effectiveness of the one you have, I highly recommend you consult a professional fitness trainer. With a well thought out plan you are much more likely to be successful!

Set realistic, attainable goals. You must have tangible, quantifiable, short and long-term goals so you can measure and assess your progress. Too many people have totally unrealistic expectations of what to expect from an exercise and nutrition program. This is one of the most important things you can do. If you're not tracking what you're doing, how will you know what worked. There are quite a few great exercise and nutrition logs I've come across. You should keep track of all your exercise and also each day's food intake.

Set exercise appointments with yourself if you're not working with a personal fitness trainer. Use your appointment book to set aside times for exercise, just like you do for meetings or events. Don't let things get in the way. Nothing is more important than your health! If you don't have your health you can't effectively do anything. I often have mothers tell me that they can't find time to exercise because they have to take care of their children. I have 4 daughters myself, and a baby on the way, so I know exactly how hard it is. Whatever your situation is, making the commitment to exercise and your health IS possible, and very important. Plus, it sets a great example for the children. For more details visit www.soundbodytrainer.com