Often, people new to physical activity set standards and goals too high for themselves. They may start out exercising for too long at a time, get injured and become completely discouraged with the new lifestyle. This is part of the earlier discussed process one may go through, being in and out of being physically active before it will stick and become habit. We do need to set goals but they must be reachable, like walking ten minutes once a week. Increase the duration of the activity five minutes at a time each time until doing a half hour or more (Marcus & Forsyth. 27) THen increase how many days of the week the activity is done (Marcus &Forsyth. 27). Something that may help people reduce injury is that saying "no pain, no gain" and "go for the burn" are "scientificaly proven unnecessary" (Marcus & Forsyth. 27-28).

          The learning theory informs us that acquiring a new behavior typically requires frequent rewards and many pleasent consequences, at least in the beginning. (Marcus & Forsyth. 28). We are more likely to be active if we believe that the benefits of being active outweigh the costs (time taken away from other activities, getting hot and sweaty) (Marcus & Forsyth. 29).

          Rewards can be what the individual wants. Set aside any amount of money to spend after each week of physical activity or eight week increments. If you feel rewarded, like you deserve the reward after the amount of time given, then it's acceptable. If not, you need to rethink when you are rewarding yourself. Some rewards to think about are getting a massage or reflexology, buying new exercise gear like clothes or equipment, and every now and then hiring a personal trianer available at any gym to help keep you in the game. Try new activities to shake up your routine after two or three months, or when you start feeling bored with the current activities: this will work especially well when you have reached a plateau and don't seem to lose any more weight. Try new food after a week's worth of exercise, or the amount of time you feel appropriate, but don't do it more than once a week or you may fall back into eating too much. Treat yourself to a cup of tea or coffee. Spend some time at a library or on the internet reading articles about physical activity. Learning about exercise should keep you thinking about your next step and goal and you may be proud that you know something many others don't know yet.

          Before starting an exercise routine, anyone with a heart condition, who tends to lose consciousness or falls over from dizziness, who tends to feel extremely breathless after mild exertion, who has bone or joint problems that could be made worse by the proposed physical activity, is middle aged or older, who has not been physically active and plans a relatively vigorous exercise program, or who has another medical condition requiring a doctor's attention should consult his or her doctor (AHA. Justmove.org. 1999, 2002).

          Exercise for children might help them feel less restless, and they may sit still in school and sleep well at night. At an early age, enough physical activity can instill in our children the need to make exercise a lifelong process and not see it as something that is a drudging chore. Exercise for everyone will help us feel better by reducing the weight we carry on our joints, and some will keep themselves from having a heart attack. Moving our bodies enough can help keep us healthy for a longer amount of time, giving us a boost in the quality and length of our lives. All in all, we will generally be happier with ourselves and the world around us because of the effect exercise has on our brains.