Exercise DVDs won't do it. Classes won't usually do it as well as you can on your own (or with a trainer). And most people who edpend on the pre-programmed options of a machine as their primary aerobic activity won't usually do it.
Do what?
Increase the challenge level of the program gradually and consistently over time. Why is that important? Because the whole point of training is to increase your capacity for similar activity (endurance, strength, flexibility, core stability, etc.) As you do that, what used to be hard for you becomes easier. And that's where many people get stuck. The payoff of adapting to a particular activity, for a certain amount of time each week at a fixed level of intensity is increasing comfort. As it gets easier, we enjoy the feeling of it not being so hard anymore.
That's a recipe for halting your progress. If you keep doing the same things at the same level of intensity for the same amount of time each week, it will be easier to plan your workouts and they'll become easier to do. But you won't keep improving - you'll just maintain the improvements you've already achieved.
There are countless ways to progress your program, but adding more and more time each week is not practical for most people, so intensity becomes the most important variable in the equation.
A simple way to progress a walking or running program is to choose a route that takes 45 minutes to do initially, and then try to shave off 30-60 seconds each time you do it. When you get it down to 40 minutes, add another 10-12% length to the course and try to cover that in 45 minutes.
You can follow a similar pattern with reps in a single set for each strength training exercise. Work toward adding one rep every 2-3 workouts to an exercise that you can do 10 reps with at your current resistance level. When you can do 15, move up in weight 10-20%.
Being deliberate about this part of the program can mean the difference between frustration and achieving the results you've always wanted.
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