1. You’re spending too much time looking for the perfect place to train

Where’s the best place to train? Anywhere you put your mind to it! Whether it’s the hottest new gym, spin class, or the little corner at home next to the water heater, it really doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’ve made the commitment to workout. With the help of a few well-chosen pieces of equipment (kettlebells, dumbbells, yoga mat and workout DVDs), you’ll be able to get fantastic results — anywhere! Start adding to your fitness corner with a light set of kettlebells to melt away love handles and get toned all over! Click here to get the same set that I use.

2. You press the snooze button instead

We all want to improve our bodies and feel better. The problem is, we’re just not in touch with the emotional drive to exercise on a daily basis. There are plenty of days when, despite your good intentions, you just want to press the snooze button and go back to sleep. The solution here is the same one you’d use to get a child to eat their vegetables…Stop thinking about your workout as a whole, and just concentrate on one bite at a time.

On a day when you don’t feel like working out, make a deal with yourself to simply get dressed in your workout clothes. Your brain will take this as a signal that the decision to workout has been made. You’ll be surprised how well this works. By acting as if you were going to workout, you can get your body to perform, even if you don’t feel like it. I don’t know how many times the simple act of putting on my running shoes has been enough to get me moving and out the door.

3. You don’t warm up

The first stage of your workout should be a warm-up. Although gentle stretching can be part of your warm-up, the best warm-up involves controlled, full-range movement using the muscles you’re planning to train. The purpose is to raise the temperature of the muscles and increase circulation. Five minutes of any light activity that involves those muscles will work. Walking or light jogging are good ways to warm up the legs; light dumbbells or rowing are good for the arms. Again, the warm-up is for limbering. You’re not trying to increase your flexibility or tax your muscles — you’re simply “oiling the machine” before your workout.

Take 6 minutes to warm up your entire body with this routine from my Total Body Lift DVD:

4. You don’t stretch

For most of us, our daily activities do not promote suppleness and freedom of motion. When we sit all day at work, our muscles tighten. In time, our body starts to feel locked and compressed. Age also makes us stiffer. You may notice it when tying your shoes, or turning to look over your shoulder in the car. And yet, wit ha few minutes of effort a day, it’s possible to actually become more flexible as we get older. This is one of the most overlooked areas of fitness, and the benefits are enormous. Stretching will help you improve your posture, move with greater ease, protect yourself from injury, and promote spinal health while preventing lower back problems.

After your next workout, take a few minutes to cool down with this stretch from my new DVD, FastFit!

5. You’re always working out alone.

One of the biggest secrets to a great workout is to train with a partner. Having a training partner is a way to harness some of the group energy you feel in an aerobics class, and bring it to your workout. Having a workout buddy has many benefits, including:

• Increases your chances of working out by keeping each other consistent and accountable
• Helps spot for safety during exercises where you could be injured if you lose control of the weights
• Provides a psychological incentive by cheering each other on and providing a little healthy competition
• Makes your workout more fun by having somebody to talk and joke with