Everywhere we look it seems a new marketing campaign sprouts up to encourage us to lose 10 pounds over the weekend or jump around in spandex. The reality is, if you have to drag yourself to the gym then no amount of "special deals" can keep you pumped on your exercise program. Far too often we beat ourselves up for our lack of motivation to workout, not realizing that the greatest initiator of inactivity was that we didn't enjoy the chosen sport. Think about it - if you don't like some one, your desire to hang out with them will be minimal. Finding a sport or activity you are passionate about will fuel your desire to participate and enrich your abilities - into your old age. Doing something because it is the "right" choice will soon back fire when the rebellious nature kicks in; like craving more chocolate because it may be on the forbidden food list. Stop thinking about working out as something you should be doing and find a physical activity you love. When you love your sport, motivation for training will come naturally.

Make June the month for trying new activities. From yoga to snake wrestling, training without passion will severely limit your quest to reach maximum performance. Some people don't discover the activity that fosters a deep abiding sense of excitement until after they retire - that's okay, but the sooner you discover your niche, the sooner you can get on with it! Incentive will help you decide what qualities you are looking for in the activity - like a relationship, it must enhance your personality. For example, if you have a quick temper you could love kickboxing as a release, if you are too independent to imagine enjoying aerobic classes you could consider trail running or hiking. Don't force yourself to participate in things just because your friends are doing it. If you don't like something there is no shame; don't waste your confidence in learning to like something. I wish I loved rock-climbing, I think it is a beautiful empowering sport, but every time I did it I got agitated. The day I admitted to myself I just didn't like it liberated me - I still go to the rock with friends sometimes but I hike and relax. Knowing what you like, regardless of your incentive, will be a powerful motivating force for life-long activity.

Trying to squeeze into your cheerleading outfit is not a motivational force, especially if you can't even see your toes. Short-term steps could be; becoming more supple, trying an introductory dance class (learning to feel the beat again), following a smart eating plan. Beyond that teenage outfit was a team spirit, physical fitness and a sense of confidence that comes from well being - feelings that physical fitness can emulate at any age. So what if you stumble along the way; injury, boyfriend dumps you, the old roommate with the best cheesecake recipe comes into town - allow for occasional set backs along the way but turn these set-backs into positive experiences. Make aching muscles work for you, envision fatigue as a sign of getting closer towards your goal. Besides, when you love your activity, you don't mind paying a small price - so you might as well get sore muscles doing something you like!

Set a training schedule and stick to it, constantly challenging yourself in your physical abilities. Keep a training diary, enlist support from friends and family, keep sight of the big picture of achievement. Devising your own personal definition of success will help you maintain peak mental attitude, contributing positively to your sporting performance. Be wary of factors that could interrupt your training, such as fear of injury. (Sometimes returning from injury can actually lead to more injury. Altering performance style to protect from further injury often means failure to follow through with movements, causing irregular muscle contraction and inviting further injury). Keep moving forward - regardless how rocky the journey may be, find ways to overcome obstacles in the adventure.

Remember that recovery is just as important as super-charging your workouts. Taking care of your life outside the gym will ensure the strong emotional base that you need to excel in your sport - be productive in between training sessions, integrate all aspects of physical success to get the physique you deserve. Read fitness magazines, talk to other sports enthusiasts, think often about your love of physical activity and how great it feels to be in shape. Remember it takes less effort to participate in an activity you genuinely enjoy, than to justify to yourself why you became too fat and unfit to live life to the full!