Don't limit your view of exercise to boring routines or activities you don't enjoy. A little creativity can help you make exercise fun and motivate you to continue. She recommends using fun music that you enjoy and trying a class or two to get yourself going. Don't rule out interesting options that may not seem like exercise in the traditional sense - such as ballroom dancing or line dancing, if those are appropriate for you, she says. You can also try getting someone else to exercise with you.
Experts say the social aspect of exercise is very helpful in making workouts seem less of a chore.
Athletic trainer Michelle DeLeon of Corpus Christi, Texas, says classes and workout partners give your exercise program a built-in system of accountability. To help keep yourself going on the days when you lack motivation, consider setting up incentives. Neuberger suggests making an agreement not to watch television or read your book until you've done your exercise. That way you feel like you have a reward waiting at the end. Occupational therapist Marureen Gecht of the University of Illinois in Chicago has been teaching arthritis exercise since 1987.