Getting back to exercise after a break - tips

A quick post to say I'm back
IN BUSINESS

IN THE BUSINESS OF GETTING MYSELF INTO SHAPE
and lord, i hope this time, i last longer and grow stronger in my resolve.

Didn't want to kind of set off a false alarm...waited till I had exercised three days before i started noting it down again.

So I'm back to looking at my tummy, feeling terrible etc...
I'm also slowly building up an exercise routine.
I've already skipped many days of exercise but at least there's a beginning.

I've started with
1. Stretches
2. Breathing exercises
3. Air cycling
4. Stationary cycling
5. Running up and down the stairs
6. Half stomach-crunches

I don't do all of this every day. And there are some other Asanas that I will write about later (need to cross check names etc).

Ok so getting back to exercising is a tough one, and let's admit, most of us are not consistent.
Here are a few tips to take the plunge (again!)
1. At least a week before starting the new routine, start waking up at a fixed time, with alarm each day. Getting up to exercise is the most difficult part for me. This has helped. You body automatically wakes up at that time after some time -- ur bioclock gets re-adjusted. And for a person like me, that's half the job done. If I can get myself out of the warm bed, I'll bloody well exercise.

2. Start off with the easiest and the most necessary -- stretches, loosening up, slowly building up time -- don't straightaway for for a one-hour regimen. Don't straight away take up tough ones and already get disappointed, if you're unable to do them or feel defeated even before u get into a groove..

3. Start with the familiar. Apparently the body has a memory of exercises you do. If you start doing something familiar, you'll feel better. But it also means you shouldn't get too comfy, and should gradually take on new challenges. Also if you've learnt something before, like yoga, and have an instruction manual/chart, it helps jog ur memory. You also know you are doing things right.

4. This time i tried this tip that's always suggested -- "get urself an exercise partner". Since that's a practical impossibility, what i did was come to an agreement with a colleague who also wanted to start exercising. So we text each other each morning, saying "I did it", sometimes even describe what we did in short. And, on days we don't manage to exercise too, we "report" to each other, telling each other "it's ok" but we must try to do it tomorrow etc...some group guilt, some group motivation. I think it's helped me. Today i did it because i was embarrassed i hadn't done it for three days.

5. A week before plan what exactly is going to be ur POA -- plan of action. You should have a routine vaguely sketched out in your mind. Don't stand on the exercise mat and think -- can be frustrating and time-consuming. But don't always stick to the same order. If one morning you don't feel like cycling, have an alternate exercise in mind. Don't force urself to do anything, if you don't feel like.

I'm going to be back here and posting, hopefully, regularly.