Whatever you do, please don't judge the effectiveness of your workout by how sore or drained it makes you feel afterwards. Since when was that designed to be the aim of exercising?! Your routine should leave you feeling energized, NOT immobilized...

The truth is that too many people focus on feeling sore the next day, and if they don't then they think that they haven't worked hard enough. Occasionally you may feel a little stiff or 'worked', but this is usually caused by the introduction of a new exercise that your body isn't used to, or a new resistance level, whether on the cardio machine you are using (eg: speed or incline), or an increase in the weight you are using for your strength training exercises. It's what we call DOMS - Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, which usually occurs within 24 to 72 hours after the workout in question.

The aim of a good workout is to test the body and make it stronger and more efficient over time. The day after exercise it is natural to 'feel' like you have been active, but regular DOMS can actually cause strength loss and pain. Look at soreness as a disadvantage. It means you might have to give exercise a miss for a day or two, because you simply can't do anything active without discomfort.

Since an effective exercise plan dictates the need for regular practice, DOMS could quite literally be slowing down your chances of results.

To reduce the effects and chances of post exercise soreness, a good warm up and end-of-session stretching are essential. If nothing else, ensure that you warm up for 5 minutes on a cardio machine that works your entire body, like the cross trainer, rather than the bike or the treadmill, which really only hit your lower body. For effective stretches, ask the trainers or instructors at your local gym for some advice, which they should be happy to give.

The days of slogans like 'no pain, no gain!' and 'feel the burn' are long gone. We're in the noughties now, not the lycra-clad eighties!

Simon Dainton is a Certified Personal Trainer and founder of Fitstreet Personal Training in the UK. His Programs of Lifestyle change guarantee clients results, combining effective exercise, nutrition and lifestyle adjustments. For more information and to learn more about getting healthier, go to http://www.fitstreet.co.uk/