But if you're looking for exercise to accomplish specific objectives — cut flab / add muscle / strengthen bone / prevent back pain, you can skew your workout to favour one type of activity over others, although ideally you should still be incorporating a little bit of all three kinds.

In terms of specific objectives, here's a sampling of suggestions on how to fit the means to the ends:

To burn calories: Aerobic exercise. Calories are burned at a higher rate per minute than in weight training.

To build bone, bolster skeleton: Weight-bearing exercise such as strength training or walking.

To strengthen abdominal and back muscles: Workouts on the rowing machine; abdominal crunches and pelvic tilts.

Besides your fitness goals, there are also factors you need to consider before deciding on your exercise regimen:

Consider your temperament

If you have a low boredom threshold, you're likely to bolt, sooner rather than later, from daily sessions on a stationary bike. You'll probably find it more invigorating to bicycle with a riding companion or a like minded group of exercisers. What seemed like work in your bedroom — pedalling for miles and going nowhere — will seem more like recreation.

On the other hand, if you're a comfort freak who would rather not contend with blazing sun, pouring rain, rogue manholes and homicidal auto-rickshaw drivers, indoor exercise is the kind for you.

Consider the time factor

Stationary cycles are also your best bet if you're pressed for time. Since you don't have to pay complete attention to the workout on hand, you can listen to music, watch TV or read a book or a project report. In fact, manufacturers make a rack that clips to the exercycle's frame or handle-bars to hold reading material.

Even more pressed for time? Turn everyday activities into mini gym versions. Climbing stairs, for instance, is the real-life equivalent of doing step-ups on a stepper. As you climb those stairs, place your entire foot — not just the ball — on to the step, and press down through your heel as you lift your body up —just as you would do on the stepper. Lean forward slightly; the more forward your weight is, the harder your quadriceps have to work.

How much control and consistency are you looking for?

Some exercise options offer more control over target heart rates than others. On a stationary cycle, for instance, it's easy to stick with a specific and consistent workload and to measure your pulse.

Consider health limitations

If you suffer from a health condition that's worsened by pollution — asthma, for instance — you'll need to choose your exercise options carefully. Avoid exercising outdoors during rush hour when there's heavy traffic. If you can get to an open, windy area, that's so much better since air currents disperse pollutants.

As far as possible, also, breathe through your nose, not your mouth — research indicates this can reduce the amount of pollutants, including ozone, that reaches your lungs. This may mean avoiding strenuous exercise like running — and opting for, say, walking instead.

Consider the long term

Remember that whichever exercise you start with, you can't stick with just one routine forever. After the target muscles have become acclimatized to this workout, they'll hit a plateau. If you keep sweating away at the same type and level of exercise you'll feel stale and burn out. Your body needs a new challenge to jolt it out of the doldrums and to keep your interest alive and kicking.

For instance, you can add new toners — substitute a different movement that hits the same muscle or muscle group. Or you may need to drop exercises you now find too easy, take up new sports.

Getting fit is half your battle won. But only half. Staying fit is the other half. And that means you have to stay active: you can't store fitness. Boredom, bad weather, time constraints, poor instruction, temperament and flagging motivation are just some of the snags that can cause you to lose ground in your quest for lifelong fitness. And very soon all those easy excuses ("I just don't have the time", "I'm too stressed out", "I'm too tired", "I'm pregnant") start looking even more attractive. To counteract their drag you need to use counter-strategies. They are fairly simple techniques but have been found by researchers to actually work in helping people stay interested and keep exercising:

Choose activities you think you'll enjoy.

Be sure you're clear about what you expect from exercise. That way you'll be sure to take up those activities that will nudge forward your goals — strength-training if you want better body definition, yoga if you want to improve flexibility and so forth.

Start slowly and with modest goals.

If you find you've set yourself unrealistic goals—too much, too soon, as most people do — be flexible enough to do a little down-grading.

Make exercise a part of your routine. Try to work out at the same time on the same days of the week. Researchers who have poured millions and spent years in studying exercise behaviour say you have to make it a HABIT first.

If you've set aside a half-hour for running in the morning, at least go out at the time you'd planned and walk around for 10 minutes. If you'd figured on doing a bit of circuit-training at the local gym, at least go there and look at Mr. Brawn do it. Eventually you'll find that you're beginning to look on your exercise session as a firmly scheduled activity, not an option, and that if you skip your routine you just won't feel right.

Lay out your exercise clothes the night before. They'll serve as a silent reminder.

Exercise to music. Or, if it's possible, combine your workout with some other pleasant distraction you enjoy such as reading or watching an action movie or listening to a book on tape while you grind away.

If you plan on exercising after work, avoid pub-crawling buddies.

Spend time with other people who exercise.

Even better, make an exercise date with someone —: a friend, spouse or neighbour. You're less likely to skip a workout if it means reneging on a commitment.

Forget 'no pain, no gain'. Listen to your body and stop when it starts sending you distress signals.

Try scheduling your workouts for the morning before unforeseen work or problems crop up to derail you.

Pick up a new track of some music that you really like. Then allow yourself to listen to it only when you work out. You'll find yourself trying to schedule in your exercise session just so you can listen to that tape.

Have alternatives on hand. Don't become over-dependent on a gym. Even if you can afford the fees forever, there will be times, say when you're traveling, or staying in an out-of-town hotel when you cannot easily access a gym. But if you've taken up fitness walking also, you can always pull on your Nikes and pound the pavement.

On the other hand, if you're mainly into an outdoor exercise

like jogging, have an in-house option for those days when bad weather puts a crimp into your schedule.

Expect occasional lapses. Or even a small sabbatical from your workout routine. With crises at work, long, lazy vacations and bi-annual visits from your in-laws, it would be surprising if you didn't have a now-and-then break in your streak

Everyone — including elite athletes — lays off from time to time. Just don't let it slip into a permanent hiatus from exercise. Treat it as a blip, not a serious failure and get back on your feet. There's always tomorrow. After all, exercise isn't a programme that ends after 6 months. It's for life

Focus on how far you've come, not how far you need to go. Aim for improvement, mastery — and chart your progress as you go along in terms of tape measurements, improved distance, improved timing

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Weight Loss