It’s a sad fact but most of the people who enquire about my fitness classes never actually turn up. It was just an idea they had, a problem they wanted to solve but when it came to it, they were just too scared to get started. They just haven’t got the right motivation to get them into regular exercise.

If you recognise this problem in yourself, if you are too frightened to get started then the question is, what is the right motivation and what can you do to change your attitude?

First you need to find the pain. Not the physical pain you experience in the gym or on the running track but a bit of mental pain. If that sounds negative to you then relax, it will all become clear very soon.

Think about this, where are you now? Unfit? Overweight? Unhealthy? Where do you want to be? I’m guessing that you want the opposite of each of those things? A fit, lean, healthy body that makes you feel good and lets you get on with life.

You’re wondering how you’re going to achieve that. Am I right?

Well you’re asking yourself the wrong question. Try this one instead, WHY? Whay do you want to be fit, lean and healthy? Is it so you look good in the mirror? Look good on the beach? Maybe it goes deeper, maybe you want to attract a partner? Or maybe you just want to be able to keep up with your kids out playing in the park?

Think a little bit harder. How long do you want to live? Do you want to see your children grow up? Do you want to meet your grandchildren and take an active part in their lives? Maybe you would like to do all of this without the threat of Type 2 diabetes or heart disease?

Think hard about those things. Deep in the recess of your mind is the pain. The thought of dying young before your children grow, leaving them to mature without your guidance. The thought of suffering from a dibilitating illness and missing out as life passes you by.

If you can focus on that negative pain you can overcome your fear and get yourself to an exercise class.

Secondly what about your attitude to exercise? Is it healthy? Or do you have overwhelming negative thoughts attached to it?

In the western world exercise classes seem to have become firmly attached to the idea of losing weight. Not getting fit. Nor having a lean, healthy body, just losing weight.

Exercise hurts and you can lose weight without it, so why bother?

Well if you think that a calorie controlled diet, low carbohydrate diet, cabbage soup diet or any other crazy nutritional plan is a better answer than exercise then you go for it. With a bit of luck and some determination I’m sure you’ll achieve you weight loss goal. It’s a pity your body will be reduced to a weak, saggy skeleton and you’ll barely have the energy to stand up but at least you’ll be the right weight.

Alternatively, you could bite the bullet, man up or find a bit of real-grit and do some exercise. Combined with a sensible, manageable and sustainable diet you will achieve something much better, something long lasting and ultimately worth the effort.

Exercise tones muscle. Toned muscle is tighter, firmer and looks much better than saggy, wobbly flesh. You might not achieve your ideal weight but you will look much, much better. There’s a saying that goes: skinny girls look good in clothes, fit girls look good naked. It works for men too!

Thirdly you need to lose this worry about your weight. Your weight is not the problem. Your weight is simply a function of gravity acting upon the mass of your body, it’s a pointless measure of a human being.

If you must measure something then try a few of these. Measure and make note of the circumference of your chest, waist, hips, thighs and biceps. With exercise and a senible diet you will lose inches of fat in these areas and gain toned muscle. The successful changes in your body are better measure in inches rather than pounds.

Can you find the motivation to get yourself fit? Can you change your attitude to exercise and weight loss in a positive, supportive way?

If you can then there’s a fitness instructor waiting to hear from you and ready to help you. If you can’t then go back to the first step and start again.