There are several reasons why people choose to exercise. Some people work out because they want their clothes to fit better, they want to feel good about themselves, and/or they want to feel more energized. Some people enjoy the social aspects of working out, such as pairing up with a friend to go to the gym or playing on a team. Others enjoy the structure and discipline of sticking to a strict workout schedule and keeping track of their own progress and development. And then there are those who get tremendous gratification out of their athletic abilities and are drawn to cultivating their skills further.

Do any of these resonate with you? In order to maintain the motivation to stick with any fitness plan, you need to figure out why you want to do this. Then to achieve your goal, you need to stategize.

Set goals, but be realistic and specific. Work toward attainable, short-term goals, such as adding five minutes to your treadmill time, running an extra half-mile, or losing three pounds. Make your goals as specific as possible and give yourself time to accomplish them. For example, while it might be realistic to decide that you're going to start running and set the goal of signing up for a marathon one day, the better approach is to vow to start running three days a week with the goal that by the end of the year you'll sign up for and complete a 5K race.

Find a time that's right for you. You wouldn't want to force yourself to go to the gym at 5 a.m. every morning and then feel miserable because you couldn't stick with that regimen. In the beginning, try working out at different times of the day — morning, lunchtime, after work, late at night — and see what works best for you. At what time was the workout most invigorating? What fits in well with your daily schedule?

Mix things up. Your body adapts itself to a workout; after a while you will no longer see results, and then your motivation will drop. Vary your workouts so that your muscles don't go on autopilot.

Sign up for an event or an activity club. Enter a race, join a local ski club, runners group, or a sports league. A race or competition can give you something to shoot for, and being part of a group will keep your enthusiasm up.

Health and fitness news seems to change on a regular basis. Should you take the skin off your chicken? What is considered a portion? Can heals be so high that they are unhealthy? There is a new website that can give you the up to date information on many health and fitness issues. Because this is a new website it does not have a great deal of articles and information as of yet. There are some of the articles on this site that are pretty basic information that I had heard before such as The Truth About Fats and Carbs, however there were some like Super Foods That Burn Fat that I found very informative.

This is a great recipe for spring and summer cooking. It is cooked in a crock pot and so with a short amount of time in the morning or early afternoon and you can have a great main dish prepared when it is time for dinner. I also like this in the summer because it dose not make your kitchen all hot since you don’t use the oven.

Honey Pineapple Chicken

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 can 8 ounces unsweetened crushed pineapple, undrained

1 cup packed brown sugar

½ cup honey

2 tablespoons lemon juice

¼ cup butter, melted

2 tablespoons prepared mustard

2 teaspoons soy sauce

In a skillet, brown chicken in oil in batches on both sides; transfer to a 5 quart slow cooker. Combine the remaining ingredients; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until chicken is no longer pink. Strain pan juices, reserving pineapple. Serve pineapple over chicken.

Nutritional facts: 1 serving equals 302 calories, 9 grams fat (3 grams saturated fat), 73 mg cholesterol, 180 mg sodium, 33 grams carbohydrates, 23 grams protein, trace fiber

Serve this with some brown rice and broccoli for a well balanced meal. This is another one of those great freezer meals. As your planning for your week, plan on doubling this one and freezing half. That way on another week you have a meal for one of those busy days when you might be tempted to do take out.

A Cup of Yogurt a Day to Keep the Doctor Away?

Want a convenient, good-for-you food that's a calorie bargain, extremely versatile, packed with vitamins and minerals — and a tasty treat? Say yes to yogurt! In addition to eating it plain or mixed with fruit, you can add yogurt to soups, sauces, marinades, and dressings, or use it as a healthy base for drinks.

It has quickly become a favorite snack food for the health conscious because it comes in both low-fat and nonfat varieties and is rich in calcium, potassium, riboflavin, magnesium, and phosphate. A single cup of fat-free yogurt contains 50 percent more calcium than the same serving size of milk — providing a third of your recommended daily requirement. Since it's lactose-free, yogurt also provides a dairy alternative for people who are lactose intolerant.

And yogurt goes beyond being a dieter's dream food. More and more, yogurt is getting recognition for its healing qualities. Doctors often recommend yogurt to patients who get upset stomachs while taking antibiotics. Furthermore, according to the American Association (ADA), the active cultures in yogurt have been shown to bolster the immune system and fight infection in the body.

Of all the active cultures in yogurt, Lactobacillus acidophilus is the most raved about because it helps to balance the digestive system. Unlike other cultures, which don't survive the stomach's acid, L. acidophilus passes through the stomach and settles in the small and large intestines. Here, these "good" bacteria counter the "bad" bacteria that can cause infection — and, ultimately, disease.