Fit: Year of Exercise

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WITH BUBBLY IN HAND and a silly hat perched on your 'do, it's a cinch to vow that you'll attend kickboxing class every day of 2007 and look like you belong on the cover of a fitness magazine within a month. But you don't even need to totally sober up to know it probably won't happen.

If you want to use New Year's as a jumping-off point for making over your life, the first rule is starting small and specific, said Cathy Moxley, a Germantown-based coach and author of "The Busy Mom's Ultimate Fitness Guide." "Instead of saying, 'I'm going to be more active,' say, 'I'm going to take the stairs instead of the elevator at work,'" she suggested. One of her clients recently found success always opting to use the bathroom on a different floor of her office building.

And start slowly, added Kelly Bradley, founder of D.C.'s Bradley Wellness, who said that although it may be tempting to throw yourself into an entirely new routine, winter is a better season for assessing your situation.

"Take that time to see what's gone on in the past year. Spring is the time to do new things," Bradley said, advising gentle methods of adding exercise. "Try something like restorative yoga instead of a strenuous activity." Her favorite poses for this are sun salutations, a series of 12 postures that can be repeated in an endless flow.

While taking stock of your health, hopefully you'll come across what Moxley calls "a personally compelling motivator." It might be a health concern or just a desire to look better in a bikini, but you need something to focus on when you're feeling lazy or burnt out. If it matters to you enough, that'll keep you going. "Think about if you offered to pay someone $1 million if they worked out three times a week for six months. That person would find the time," Moxley said.

Scheduling manages to derail some of the most dedicated resolvers, so it's critical to map out not just what you're going to do, but when you're going to do it. Mark your gym time in your day planner, Moxley advised. "If it's not written down, it doesn't look official," she said. But don't get thrown off if something pops up and gets in the way of a workout. One slip up — or even 19 — doesn't mean you should give up until next year. No free time for Pilates? Just get up from your desk and take a swift stroll.

"People think a five-minute walk isn't going to do anything," Moxley said. "But the habit is more important than the content. Get moving ingrained in your life and the rest can come later."

When you're ready to up the ante with heavier-duty cardio and weight training, pick times that will work with your schedule and allow you to be consistent. Early mornings are often best for busy people who can't predict what the day will bring, some folks swear by sweating over their lunch breaks and others crave a stress release after work.

If none of those are a natural fit for your life, Moxley suggested mixing it up to make your exercise demands less overwhelming: Get one workout in over the weekend, do another one morning and squeeze in a third at lunch.

Then write down how it all feels, Bradley said, extolling the virtues of a wellness journal. "Keep track of your energy, what you enjoy doing for exercise and what you're forcing yourself to do," she said. You may start the year committed to ballet class to get in shape, but maybe you'll realize in May that you really want to join a soccer team.

It may not be what you promised your pals you'd do while you were downing champagne, but if it works for you, go with it. In the end, the only resolutions that really matter are the ones that you can keep.

Photo by Rich Lipski/The Washington Post