Schedule daily exercise to stay motivated at home

King Features Syndicate

Q: I’m melting into my sofa. Any suggestions for how to motivate myself to exercise and what to do while I am stuck indoors? — Stephen S., Santa Fe, N.M.

A: We hear you. The gym is closed, or you don’t want to risk going there. The team sports you love, like softball, are seasonal — but not this season. It’s cold out, so you don’t feel like walking 10,000 steps in the park. What you can feel is your muscles sagging, your belly growing and your spirit sinking.

Don’t despair. You can cheer up and tone up this winter at home. Studies indicate that you can go from being a couch potato to a fitness coach (for yourself) more easily than you might think. The keys to success:

■ Schedule your daily exercise plans and put them into your phone’s calendar with alerts.

■ Provide yourself with a soundtrack of invigorating music. Studies show that listening to a stimulating playlist while exercising is associated with longer exercise times and more enjoyment. One study found that cranking up your tunes before you start exercising can increase motivation to begin your routine.

■ Also important: Set realistic expectations. Don’t set yourself up for failure. — Consider doing multiple, short bouts of exercise in a day instead of one long program; allow yourself to see improvement gradually. Studies show that many folks start, stick to and enjoy short, regular bouts of walking on a home treadmill more than working out in gym.

■ Beat back boredom — and do the most for your body — by combining five days a week of aerobics (walking up and down the stairs for 20 minutes or 30 minutes on the treadmill or stationary bike — or all three) with frequent stretching (try an online yoga or stretch class) and 20-30 minutes of strength training two or three days weekly (love that plank). By spring, you’ll have a younger RealAge, a flatter belly and happy memories of your wintertime indoors.