Get Fitter, Firmer, Faster! 18 Fitness Shortcuts

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6 Tips to Get More Motivated

Rev up your mojo in mere seconds.

Move to improve your 'tude.

Sneak in a morning sweat session and you'll experience the exercise high all day: Research from the University of Vermont in Burlington shows that doing just 20 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise -- brisk walking or easy-paced cycling, for example -- gives you a feel-good mood recharge that lasts up to 12 hours.

Find a ton of 20-minute workouts here >>

Turn your playlist into a pace maker.

Download the free BeatScanner tool at bestworkoutmusic.com to have it pull the tunes from your playlists that match your tempo, or try the site's Workout Music Studio ($27) to alter the beat of your faves to suit your pace. Result? A never-ending supply of music to help you roll through every workout. And if your tunes could use a refresh, try these bumping hits:

"Don't Stop the Party" - The Black Eyed Peas

"Till the World Ends" - Britney Spears

"Where Them Girls At" - David Guetta, featuring Nicki Minaj and Flo Rida

"Save the World" - Swedish House Mafia

"Dirty Dancer" - Enrique Iglesias with Usher, featuring Lil Wayne

See green to enjoy your routine.

A Swiss study of 319 city dwellers determined that they found outdoor workouts more restorative than indoor ones. Find a walking or jogging route on mapmyrun.com or a nearby bike path at mapmyride.com.

Chill out to firm up.

Take five at the water fountain to clear your head before you rep: Less-stressed exercisers who lifted weights increased their strength gains by up to 25 percent compared with tenser folks, according to a study at the University of Texas at Austin.

Have a great flex.

A post-workout cooldown can leave exercisers with a that-wasn't-so-tough impression of their last sweat session -- a better mind-set for getting back to the gym the next day. Perform a few soothing stretches before you head for the shower, holding each 20 to 30 seconds.

Find a full-body stretch-fest here >>

Divide and conquer any distance.

Imagine mini finish lines along your jogging loop to rejuice your stride and make the time fly. For instance, think in five-mile increments when you tackle double-digit distances, top U.S. marathoner Kara Goucher says. "If I start to get tired, I visualize myself crossing the finish line, which helps me dig a little deeper."

Originally published in FITNESS magazine, September 2011.

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slashchilla wrote:

I try to keep "active" outside the gym, so that my 1-2 hours of workouts aren't the only exercise I get. The main thing is the yoga belly. In pilates, they teach you how to hold your abs to keep them engaged and work them in any pose. I try to do this all day to increase ballence and core strength while keeping my abs engaged. It sucks, but my six pack doesn't lie. It works.

3/27/2013 01:05:20 PM Report Abuse

tiptoegsxr wrote:

That's over the top on my situation!! I'm handicapped (can't run, can't do jumping jacks, but can hobble!), and yes, since I was lying around, I gained weight, and am now trying to burn it. I can only go 2.2speed with an 8incline on a treadmill. HELP, what should I do??

8/27/2012 06:01:39 PM Report Abuse

ta.laska wrote:

@sherryandthomas- yes! i have the same thing.

7/25/2012 10:37:30 AM Report Abuse

froglady7581 wrote:

I like the ideeas, except when one of the answers is WALK. I can not stand or walk any distance. I am going to the pool and doing walking there plus some other excercises. Hope this makes up for not WALKING!!

7/14/2012 09:28:55 PM Report Abuse

stacyfike1 wrote:

These are great tips!!! I am a firm believer in the writing down what you eat to help lose weight and fat. I have been traveling alot here and have stopped typing mine into a online program. I was shocked after 2 weeks of being on the road how much I've weight I've gained back. Thanks!!!!

7/14/2012 07:23:35 PM Report Abuse