Make your cardio work for you

No doubt about it -- the weather's getting cooler, and you know what that means: If you don't focus on your fitness goals, they may fall by the wayside altogether. After all, whether it's sleet and snow or the fact that you can cover up an expanding waistline with a bulky sweater, excuses for not working out proliferate when the sunshine subsides.

As a recent study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology confirms, physical activity tends to decrease in the winter. The research, which examined 580 healthy adults living in Worcester, Mass., found that women's total activity levels were higher by one metabolic equivalent (70 calories per day) during the summer in comparison with winter.

On the other hand, people who do keep up their exercise habits tend to take their workouts inside at this time of the year. According to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, in 2000 the number of gym memberships increased by an average of 9 percent during the fall and winter months.

So, to keep you on the right track, we asked exercise physiologist Paul Robbins to create three indoor programs that cater to your most important cardio goals. "When people stop working out it's because they're not seeing results and -- in the winter, especially -- they also get bored with the same old routine," Robbins notes. "Instead of just punching in your usual cardio program, these plans will help you focus on a concrete objective, so you'll really get what you want out of your workout."

Do you want to blast off the extra calories you're consuming during the holidays? Maybe you're hoping to break through a plateau and keep that winter rut at bay? Or perhaps you'd like to increase your endurance so you'll have more energy? Simply select the program that best matches your mission and chances are, you'll start to see results soon. And, with options for beginners and more advanced exercisers built into each plan, you can individualize your program even further.