MOTIVATION'S MAGIC BIG FITNESS GAINS TAKE BABY STEPS.

Byline: Phil Davis Staff Writer

The first thing Van Nuys running coach Patrick Connelly tells his students is not to even think how it will feel to run the L.A. Marathon - even though that's their ultimate goal.

The thought of running up and down L.A.'s famous hills for 26.2 miles is enough to make even a seasoned athlete throw in the towel. It seems almost impossible, endless. The same overwhelming feeling a 300-pound coach potato might feel on the first day at the gym. But Connelly still manages to transform 1,500 bench warmers into marathoners in six months.

His strategy is simple: Focus on small, attainable goals that increase slightly each week.

The good news for couch potatoes is Connelly's motivational formula works on just about any tough task - even if you don't plan on running a marathon.

Need to lose 100 pounds? Shoot for 10 pounds at first. Want to quit smoking? Cut the number of cigarettes smoked in a day by 10 percent. Want to get in shape? Start with short walks instead of plunging right into running or joining a fitness club.

The secret to success is setting goals - no matter how small - that can be reached. America's multibillion-dollar fitness industry shows there's no shortage of motivation out there, but statistics also show more than half of all Americans are overweight.

Call them exercise dropouts.

They drowned in good intentions somewhere between signing up for that fitness club membership and actually reaching the point where fitness becomes a pleasure instead of a chore. Just as problems get worse on the way down, things get better on the way up. Really.

Jerald Jellison, a professor of psychology at the University of Southern California, points to a study on fitness club membership. Researchers found that while most people initially joined to lose weight, the majority of people who renewed their membership cited stress reduction as the main reason. An external or extrinsic goal - looking better - became an internal or intrinsic goal, ridding the body of stress.

``I hear this phrase all the time: 'You can't make people want to do something,' '' Jellison said. ``Well, it turns out that's not true. You can make people want to do things if you arrange it in small, easy stepswhere they can succeed. Give them rewards to help them through the difficult initial phase, then they will want to do it.''

Most people fail to reach that plateau because they set their expectations too high, or count on some marketing promise of a quick fix - ``thin thighs in 30 days'' videos, eat-whatever- you-want diets or exercise equip- ment promising the body of Suzanne Somers.

``It's advertised as a quick fix,'' said Dr. David Feinberg, a psychiatrist at the University of California, Los Angeles, and author of ``Don't Let Your HMO Kill You'' (Rutledge; $14.95). ``We all want quick results. We want to look like the guy in the brochure, but that's totally unrealistic. Most of us have neither the time nor the physical ability to achieve those kinds of results. But to just exercise to where we're at a normal body weight with the ability to climb stairs, almost anybody can do that.''

Trouble is, people are so transfixed by the hype - miracle diet, film at 11 - they forget that fitness can be fun, said Joanie Greggains, host of TV's ``Morning Workout'' and author of ``Fit Happens'' (Villiard; $19.95). Maybe boot camp-style aerobics or karaoke spinning might be fun for some, but it's sure to send some people straight back to the couch.

``Fitness is not an obligation,'' Greggains said. ``Nobody ever says, 'OK, it's time to go out and ride your bike so you can get thin thighs in 30 days.'

We can make choices. So, face the facts, if it's not fun, if you're not going to enjoy it, you're not going to do it ... you're going to be an exercise dropout. You're going to start every program, order every tape, and none of it's going to stick.''

Greggains is a firm believer in ``whatever works.''

One caller to her radio show lost 40 pounds on an exercise regimen that began with only five minutes on an exercise machine. She worked out during her favorite soaps and, ultimately, increased increments until she was working out for two full hours.

The woman started out small, and was able to increase incrementally just as Connelly's marathoners add miles to their workout each week. Only the pace was different.

The final key to successful motivation is good cheerleading. It feels good when people notice a few dropped pounds. Jellison said it's crucial to recruit a good cheerleading squad early on. They provide the little rewards that make it easier to keep going.

``Ideally, you're going to have someone encouraging you along the way,'' he said. ``That's one of the values of doing it with a group of people or having a partner.

But it can even simply be a spouse who says, 'How'd it go at the gym today?' They're showing they care that you're doing it.

I'm doing it right now for a friend who has smoked for 50 years. I call her once or twice a day and say, 'How's it going? Good for you.' I'm a cheerleader. That's what helps people get through the tough parts.''

And, yes, there will be tough parts. There is no gain without a little pain.

And when it hurts, Connelly said, it helps to reflect on the ultimate goal - feeling good.

``You have to understand you're going to advance your quality of life,'' said coach Connelly, slipping easily into the role of cheerleader. ``You're going to be living every day to the fullest.

''You're going to lose weight, you're going to look better - you're going to have a sparkle in your eye.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo: (1 -- color -- cover) How to become Motivated and stay on track.

(2) Experts agree that there is no shortcut to obtaining the ideal level of fitness, but being driven and setting moderate goals are guaranteed to help you succeed.

David Crane/Staff Photographer