I really should exercise...

Exercise is something I always push aside in place of something else, though I know I’ll feel better once I do, even if it’s once a week. Joining a gym is out of my budget range, and I know what kind of exercise to do (walking, aerobics, yoga).  But any advice on how to get it started? 

Getting started is one thing, maintaining an exercise plan over the long term is some hard, hard stuff for many of us.  

You already know what type of exercise works best for you-- that’s a huge part of launching your new plan.   The only thing I’d add is that you should try to find an exercise buddy for at least some of your exercise efforts.  I know that schedules are tough to sync up, but having the mutual accountability factor is a good motivator.

To build a foundation to support long-term exercise efforts, think about the concrete reasons why you want to launch an exercise plan now.  Is your family history littered with the big three (high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease)?  Do you want to feel more powerful?  More deeply relaxed?  Do you want your clothes to fit differently?   Gather your concrete reasons, write them down, post them on your bathroom mirror, on the car dashboard, anywhere where you’ll see them daily and be reminded of why exercise is non-negotiable for you.   This is not intended to bring on guilt; this is only about remembering the reasons why you need to go for that walk when every fiber of your being wants to stretch your body on the couch (or wants to do _________ instead of exercising).  Make your exercise reasons louder and more compelling than your couch reasons as often as you can muster.  

Easier said than done? Absolutely. 

Excuse me, I need to go and follow my own advice.