1. Take it down a notch. Many beginners, in a combination of enthusiasm and impatience, wind up overtraining -- doing too much, too soon, too frequently. That results in sluggishness, soreness, exhaustion and a general meltdown -- in other words, lack of motivation. Cut back on the intensity and go for a walk instead. That will save you from burnout.

2. Schedule your workouts in advance. Make appointments with yourself (or with a buddy) for a specific time and place. Treat the appointment as you would any promise. If you make time in advance and plan on keeping your word, you're more likely to keep that appointment. It helps when you share the commitment and speak it "out loud," to a workout partner or a cyberbuddy.

3. Whenever possible, schedule morning workouts. You get it out of the way, and you start the day feeling that you've already accomplished something positive for yourself. Plus, a morning workout can have an energizing effect that lasts for hours.

4. Concentrate on finding personal measures of improvement. Are you feeling better? Are you breaking through barriers? Are you learning something about yourself and your ability to keep your word to yourself? Is your endurance improving? Chart these benefits, no matter how small they may seem, and a pattern will soon emerge that can get you through the tough times. Which leads to number 5 ...