Symptom 2: The patient complains of being too tired when they finish work.

Diagnosis: Fatigue is the symptom of a sedentary lifestyle, not the cause. The more exercise you do, the more energy you'll have to spare.

Cure:
1. Work out at the start of the day, if possible. It'll take a bit of getting used to, but once you do you'll get a 'kick-start' that'll also impact positively on your mood and your work for the rest of the day
2. Eat regularly throughout the day to keep your energy up. Four to six small meals usually do the trick
3. Move regularly throughout the day rather than relying on one big session in the gym alone.

Symptom 3: The patient complains that they tried exercise before, but got nowhere.

Diagnosis: The programme was wrong or the goals were unreasonable.

Cure:
1. Set realistic short-, medium- and long-term goals with the assistance of someone who knows what is reasonable to attain
2. Work on small 'micro-progressions', trying for a tiny improvement each time you exercise (one more minute, one more rep, faster, steeper, etc). Many people simply do not improve because they've been doing the same workout for months. Just think, add one rep every time you train and you could be lifting 15 more reps this time next month!
3. Get professional advice on your programme. Even if you hire a trainer only once, you can still get a tailored programme of exercise and nutrition that'll push you to a new level.

Symptom 4: The patient complains that they're too old to benefit from exercise.

Diagnosis: You're never too old to benefit from being healthier, leaner, stronger and more supple!

Cure:
There isn't a cut-off date when exercise stops working! Aches, pains and fatigue are not symptoms of ageing, but are direct results of misuse or disuse of your body, many of which are reversible with a sensible approach to exercise.

Symptom 5: The patient finds it hard to motivate themselves.

Diagnosis: The goals are not motivating enough, or they lack knowledge of how to add fun to exercise.

Cure:
1. Exercise with someone else. You can encourage each other through bad spells and are far less likely to let someone else down if they're waiting for you at the gym
2. Reward yourself when you complete a period of exercise or if you reach a goal. For instance, get yourself a new CD if you exercise three times this week, a new outfit if you complete a month or a holiday if you lose a stone. If you reward yourself regularly for doing well you'll associate your exercise with pleasure, not pain
3. Get a personal trainer or join a class to motivate and push you (not too hard) toward your goal

Symptom 6: The patient feels too fat or unfit to even start a fitness programme.

Diagnosis: We've all got to start somewhere! Putting it off for longer will only make things worse, meaning you'll be less fitter over time.

Cure:
1. Start today! Tomorrow never comes!
2. Think big but start small. Set yourself a big goal to achieve over the next six months, but then break it down into 'bite-sized' portions and smaller goals that you can work towards every day. Once you get going, you'll wonder why you ever waited to start!

So there you have it. Get active and follow a sensible eating plan and a healthy and happy life can be yours.