The holiday season brings many of us pressed for time, eating more than we really should, and often falling victim of the Holiday Bulge. In an effort to help you deal with the holiday stress, avoid the inevitable weight gain, and get a jump start on your fitness resolutions, I’d like to challenge you to make exercise part of your hustle and bustle this season.

As you embark on this active lifestyle keep the following in mind. These are excerpts taken from the book “Rx Fitness for Weight Loss: The Medically Sound Solution to Get Fit and Save Your Life” by Julia Karlstad.

Find Your Motivation
Motivating yourself to exercise is probably one of the most difficult things to master. I do not know many people who love to exercise, and even if they say they do, they are probably referring to the euphoric effect they get after exercise versus the actual act of exercising. Even top-level athletes struggle to find the motivation to practice their skills and push themselves to become more and more physically fit. This being said, it is normal to struggle because of a lack of motivation at times. Knowing how to overcome that lack of motivation and start moving is the true test.

Do Not Buy Into “Buying the Magic Pill”
I truly doubt there will ever be a pill that gives you all the benefits of exercise with no negative side effects. It is not good – in fact, unhealthy – to lose 10 pounds in a month only to put 20 pounds back on in three months. That is what happens when you go about dieting and exercising with the expectation of a quick fix.

There really aren’t any quick fixes, but I’m here to tell you that exercise doesn’t have to be hard. Therefore, I urge everyone to stop looking for the magic pill. Stop looking for ways to get around exercise, and simply start exercising and maintaining a well-balanced diet. By doing this, you won’t need a magic pill because you will reap more positive weight-loss and health benefits than any pill can provide.

Overcome and Work Through Your Limitations
Over the years, I’ve had clients with the attitude that they are not going to let anything get in their way, but I’ve also had clients who were very nervous about starting an exercise program for fear of injuring themselves. Many with physical limitations or medical conditions especially fear that exercise might cause injury that would further restrict their current activity levels. This may be the main reason why they have been inactive for several years.

Individuals who fear exercise are actually exciting to work with as clients because once they start exercising, they inevitably feel better and their ability to move and get around in life improves. The more sedentary you are, the less cooperative your joints. It’s kind of like the old tool that sits in your garage for years on end without use: After several years, the tool becomes rusty and difficult to use. Your body works the same way.

We’ve all heard the expression “Use it or lose it. ” This is so true regarding the human body. The key is to know what to do and what not to do in order to keep your body moving in the “right direction,” free from injury.

Burn the Fat
Athletes tend to push themselves 120 percent while exercising because their main objective is to jump higher, run faster, or become stronger. If your main objective is weight loss, you don’t need to push yourself this hard. What you need to do is find an appropriate intensity that will maximize your body’s ability to burn calories, specifically fat calories. For some of you, this may be a difficult concept to grasp because you’ve always had the “no pain, no gain” mindset.

The reality of maximizing your weight loss is to work smarter, not harder. Yes it’s true; you don’t have to “kill” yourself in order to lose weight. In fact, your body is actually better at burning fat at low to moderate intensities of activity, especially if you’re just starting to exercise.

Although most athletes tend to be leaner, you’ll be delighted to know that you don’t have to train like an athlete to maximize your body’s ability to burn fat and ultimately become leaner.