DO

LOSE THE UNUSED GYM MEMBERSHIP
If you're one of the thousands of Australians who collectively spend $1.5 billion a year on unused gym memberships†, ditch it. Not only is it a financial drain, but it also acts as a mental barrier to finding a work-out that does suit you. Exercise physiologist Ben Nowlan says the guilt caused by not going to the gym can make you resent exercise in general.

EAT PROPERLY
Easily digestible snacks, like dried fruit, eaten up to an hour before exercising will give you an energy boost, while low-kilojoule protein and carbohydrate snacks afterwards will repair muscle cells faster. But if you need a boost before a work-out, consider a cup of coffee; a small amount of caffeine - just 1mg per kilogram of body weight - can improve performance by between five and 25 per cent**, as it increases the power output of muscles.

DON'T

THINK YOU'RE TOO TIRED TO WORK OUT
Being mentally tired doesn't mean you can't exercise - it actually means you should. "Your mental and physical energy play off each other," explains Fiona Cosgrove, of Wellness Coaching Australia. One US study‡ found that 20 minutes of low-intensity exercise, such as yoga, decreased fatigue by 65 per cent and increased energy levels by 20 per cent. '''

TAKE IT TOO EASY
Pounding the pavement is a great way to get fit - but only if you're walking fast enough to work up a sweat. The best pace, says Nowlan, is 100 steps a minute (the equivalent of walking past at least two parked cars in four seconds). Also, mix up your work-outs. One study¥ found that introducing resistance training into an aerobic routine resulted in twice as much weight loss as aerobic exercise only.

GET STRESSED
Feel as though you're working hard, but getting nowhere? Stress could be to blame. Research* shows cortisol, the hormone that's released when you're stressed, encourages weight gain around your abdomen. Plus, it makes you crave fatty foods - making it even harder for you to lose the spare tyre.

*Psychosomatic Medicine, 2000;62:623-32. **Australian Institute of Sport, www.ausport.gov.au/ais/nutrition/faq. †"Fortnightly Gym Fees Boost Fitness", The Age, April 10, 2007. ‡Psychotheraphy and Psychosomatics, 2008;77:167-74. ¥Fitness Management Magazine, 1991. Shoes by adidas, for stockists, call 1800 801 891