Ten steps to a doable workout program: exercise like the pros (fitness pros, that is).

Have you ever spied your favorite aerobics instructor working out at the local gym and wondered what their secret was? Aside from teaching, what is it in all those machines or workouts that keeps them so fit and trim? The good news is that there is no magic. After talking to a number of fitness professionals about exercise schedules, regimens, and programs, I've discovered some habits they all have in common:

Habit 1: Work Out to Reach or Maintain Specific Fitness Goals.

Many people beginning a fitness program complain that they aren't satisfied with the results of their workouts. Yet ask what results they are after, and they often haven't a clue. Make your goals specific. Instead of "lose weight and tone up," resolve to "drop five pounds and lose two inches off thighs." And when working toward those goals, make your workout schedule measurable and clear step class two times a week, 30 minutes of lifting weights on alternate days, and tennis on Sundays.

When you achieve your objectives, create new ones. I maintain my cardiovascular fitness by teaching two to three classes a week, but I need to work toward a better balance between my upper and lower body. I am working toward this goal by stressing lower body workouts in my weight training three times a week.

Habit 2: Keep Records.

Even if it's just a few words on your calendar, you will still have a record to measure your progress. Better yet, keep a diary detailing when you worked out and what you did. Every three months, review your goals and compare. Did you do what you set out to do? If not, it may be a signal to readjust.

Habit 3: Choose Variety.

There is no more efficient weapon for killing motivation than boredom. Use the stationary bike instead of the treadmill, or opt for free weights instead of machines. There are as many different ways to get fit as your imagination will allow.

Habit 4: Fit Your Workouts to Your Lifestyle, Not Vice Versa.

I can't count the number of times a new mother has come to me, wondering tearfully why she can't get to my class three times a week. Is it any wonder? She has a new baby to care for, my class is at a now-inconvenient time for her (6:00 p.m.), and she is exhausted, stressed . . .

Sound familiar? Resolve to fit exercise into the life that you have now, not the one that you hope to have someday. I once knew a very dynamic executive who had wealth, power, and a superb level of fitness. Yet he obsessed over a small weight gain that he sourly attributed to being 52 years old. In reality he had just spent three years (yes, years) vacationing off the Florida Keys. During that time he power-walked several hours daily and didn't eat fattening late-night dinners with customers. Those extra pounds were, in my opinion, more related to his current lifestyle than age.

Habit 5: Change With the Seasons.

Use your local climate to build more variety into your regimen (see Habit 3). Though I reside in California, I still take advantage of the seasons by biking in the summer and skiing at nearby Lake Tahoe in the winter. Similarly, my daughter swims all summer and visits the local indoor ice-skating rink come fall.

Habit 6: Find Your Unique Fitness Style.

Some people are solitary by nature and like to exercise alone. I know many runners like this. Conversely, others thrive in social settings. My good friend and fellow aerobic instructor Bill is by day a gregarious salesperson. By night, when he's not teaching, he plays on a volleyball league and roller-blades with friends. Have difficulty staying motivated?

Try the buddy system. Ask a friend from church or work to meet you at a health club a couple times per week. Use whatever approach suits your personality.

Habit 7: Weigh Weights.

Women are at risk for osteoporosis (brittle bones); thus weight-bearing exercise is crucial. Lifting weights is like putting money in the "bone bank."

Recently I went skiing with two of my sisters. They are advanced skiers, whereas I have no business anywhere near expert-level runs. I suffered a fall so potentially serious that when the doctors examined me they could not believe I hadn't broken any bones or sustained a fracture. As the orthopedic surgeon told me, all those years of lifting weights probably kept me out of a full body cast.

Habit 8: Embrace Techniques and Rules.

Take the time to learn the proper method for doing each exercise. I am constantly amazed at the number of people in the free weights room at my health club who do not use simple, proper techniques. If you snorkel or scuba dive, you know never to do so alone. If you lift heavy weights, you must always have a partner to ensure your safety. So learn the rules. Ask questions. You will not only execute the exercises better and more efficiently, but you will dramatically decrease your chances of being injured.

Habit 9: Be Fully Equipped.

Getting by with ill-fitting or improper equipment is just plain dangerous. Often a student complains of pain in his or her legs (probably shin splints). My first question is to ask how old the person's shoes are. Nine times out of ten they are ragged memories. Your equipment need not be expensive, but replace your athletic shoes often, and no sneakers for aerobics, please.

Habit 10: Let Your Fitness Routines Evolve Over Time.

When I was my 20s I ate anything I wanted and taught up to a dozen high-impact classes a week. I wouldn't dream of doing either of those things now. I love teaching step classes, but I know that someday that too will change. As my joints become less tolerant to impact, I will teach other forms of less-stressful aerobics. As for the rest of my fitness routine, I will continue to modify. Think of exercise and fitness as an integral part of your life, your whole life long, and you will be well on your way to a fitter, happier you!

Julie DiBene is a freelance writer living in Milpitas, California.