If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Motivation is a tricky beast. Many people remember wistfully their thinner days and wonder why it was so much easier then to get off the couch and move around.

Well, chances are, it was fun. That’s a big factor in the grand scope of motivation. If you were once part of a sports team or took ballet classes on Wednesday nights in college, chances are you did it because you loved it, not because you wanted to lose your love handles.

Now, between the 9-5er, household obligations, and tivo-ing Lost, the prospect of getting some exercise looks like a punishment - some sort of anxiety-ridden torture with gratification only if you promise to dedicate the rest of your life to the routine. The fun factor has died.

It might be unrealistic to dig out your old Volley-ball uniform and look for local intermural teams (though it certainly is encouraged!), however, putting a bit of the fun back into your routine might start with reviving your team spirit.

The Internet has served as the perfect breeding ground for perfecting the communal workout program. You can find detailed instructions, logs, forums, and buddies in literally hundreds of online communities crafted specifically to meet your needs. Finding and joining a team is a great first step to commiting yourself to your goals.

Why not take it a step further? Glamour.com offers prizes for those who log meals every day during their twelve week Body by Glamour Program. (http://glamour.com/bbg). You can also pop into discussion boards or find a workout buddy to keep you on your toes and compare notes.

The T-Tappers over at http://ttapp.com launched into Tappy Holidays last week under the guide of trainer, Lani Muelrath. Lani provides, from her website, a spreadsheet of weekly requirements and “points,” and a list of goodies to go to the winners in January. It’s not too late to sign up.

If message boards and internet groups aren’t your style, try finding a buddy to bargain over who buys Wednesday lunch based on meeting cardio goals or keeping a food log. Or, challenge yourself, if that’s more your speed.

After all, a healthy lifestyle is all about making and striving toward your goals.