You already know it makes sense to put effort into you personal fitness, but the advice in the article below can also help make your effort more effective. Getting the results you can feel and see is a matter of increasing the effectiveness of what you do, every step of the way.

Do not make it excuses. When it comes to working out regularly and sticking to it long-term, you can prove to be your own worst enemy. Once you make a plan to workout two or three times a week, stick to it. No exceptions. Don’t let yourself put it off.

When you’re looking to increase your overall fitness, give your body adequate breaks between workouts. One common mistake people make, is working their abdominal muscles daily. However, fitness experts warn that your abdominal muscles should only be worked two to three times a week, in order to promote proper muscle development and minimize the risk of strain.

When starting a new exercise regime, have a plan! Make a list of your goals in an exercise journal. Choose a workout that you enjoy, and begin by performing a low intensity version of this. With each week, increase the intensity and add an extra five minutes to your workout. Remember to make a note of your progress in your exercise journal, as this will only encourage you to stick with the plan.

Work out your abs without doing crunches. That’s right, all you have to do is to take a deep breath and on the exhale, simply squeeze your belly to your spine and hold it for about 10 seconds. You’ll be working your transversus abdominis muscle, which lays behind more prominent abdominal muscles but can flatten your stomach noticeably.

Increasing the effectiveness of whatever you do for your personal fitness can be as easy as following one or more of the tips in the article above. Your goal of looking and feeling better can be a reality with just these simple tips. Use them to make your workout more effective.