Increasing personal fitness is a goal held by just about everyone. Learning the proper way to improve strength and stamina has the potential to pay great dividends in appearance, confidence and overall happiness. By taking to heart the tips that follow, it is possible to take the first crucial steps toward true physical fitness.      At garage sales or at online websites such as Craigslist you can often find really low priced weights and other exercise equipment. Getting the right equipment to exercise with can make a big difference, and when its bought for a good price it makes things even better!      Use your smart phone to set alarms that remind you to get up from the desk and climb a set of stairs. Even a little bit of exercise is better than no exercise. In our harried day to day lives, however, it is sometimes difficult to remind ourselves to do it. Exercise during the work day will benefit you both physically and mentally. Your work will likely benefit as well.      Gaining increased physical fitness is a nearly universal objective. Educating oneself about the proper way to achieve that goal is a great way to build a comprehensive sense of self-esteem and Self-Care satisfaction. If you start applying the tips from this article in your daily routine, you have the potential to reach your goals in a shorter time than you may have ever thought possible.      The best fitness tip for recovering from an injury is to try to get out there as soon as you feel healthy. You want to minimize your down time, so it is best to get back out there as soon as you can, but to cut down the strength of your workout considerably. Test yourself and stop if you feel any pain.      If one holds onto small weights in the two to ten pound range in each hand while they go on a run they will also be incorporating an upper body exercise into their aerobic exercise. An activity that works separate areas of fitness at the same time will improve the results that one sees.      There is always another option to get a workout in no matter how busy your life is. Are you dragging the kids to and from soccer practice? Why not get in your own walk or run while they are busy at practice. Do you love reading? Try downloading some audio books and going on a walk while listening to your favorite book.      If you're trying on a new fitness routine, remember that staying hydrated will help you maximize your benefits. Dehydration can hinder muscle development and even become dangerous. Drink at least sixteen ounces of water two hours before and after a workout. If you've been doing cardiovascular workouts, amp up your water intake even more to compensate for your sweating.      A great way to get fit is to cut out regular soda from your diet. Drinking regular soda is pretty much the equivalent of drinking sugar. It definitely will not facilitate any kind of fitness goal. Instead, switch to diet soda or better yet, switch to water.      To build stronger abdominal muscles, don't overdo it. You don't want to do abdominal exercises every day of the week. Just like the other muscles in your body, your abs need to rest between workouts. Do your abdominal workout, just two or three days a week for the best results.      Most people need to feel or see the results of weight loss to stay motivated to continue. Try buying tighter clothes instead of relying on the scale. At the end of the week, put these clothes on to see how they fit. It is likely that you will be amazed at your success.      If you want to take your running to the next level, incorporate weights and strength training in your daily workout. A number of studies have shown that runners who add in regular strength training for at least two months are able to cut an average of thirty seconds from their best time.      You can increase the likelihood that you achieve your fitness goals if you plan out and stick to a daily routine. By doing the same things at the same times, you will fall into a pattern that is more difficult to break than it is to keep. By doing this your fitness routine will become second nature.      Eggs are a great way to start your morning and they provide you with the essential protein that is necessary to extend your workout. Also, eggs are a great type of food to consume if you want to feel full during the course of the day, which can prevent you from resorting to junk food.      A great tip to help you get fit is to not overlook the effectiveness of simple body weight exercises. Push ups, pullups, sit ups, and squats with only your body weight are very good exercises that are often overlooked. You can do them anywhere because you don't need any equipment.      Swimming can be a great low-impact exercise. It is perfect for people with joint problems or for pregnant women. If you don't know how to swim, you can also jog or walk across a pool inside the water. The water provides resistance without providing pressure to your joints.      You should count your repetitions backward when you are working out. When you count backward, you begin to think about how many you have left once you start getting to the end of the set. You will not be thinking about how many repetitions you have done, which can be hurt your motivation to finish.