By DARLA ATLAS / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

News flash: It's entirely possible to go from hating exercise to absolutely loving it.

Kevin Kordish, fitness director for a Larry North Fitness in Southlake, Texas, says it's not easy to make that transition, but it's doable.

"I think the reason a lot of people hate exercise is because they're intimidated by it," he says. "They've failed at it several times, and it's frustrating when you fail."

Personal trainers can help, since "information is powerful," he says. Plus, your body tends to want to make the change.

"It becomes a habit your body looks forward to," he says. "There's a lot of chemical stuff that goes on in your mind, with endorphins ... to help you have a better outlook on life."

Mr. Kordish, who has worked for Larry North Fitness for almost 10 years, talks about what he's noticed about his Southlake clients, how he helps them realize their goals and why so many people fail at fitness.

Is there a particular machine or class that people at your gym tend to gravitate toward?

Our cardio machines get a lot of work here, and we've started a spinning program at the club that seems to be full almost every class. Plus, we've had tremendous success with the personal training, too.

Assuming that you work with busy professionals and moms, what are some of their secrets for making it to the gym?

I think if you look at successful people, they usually have a pretty structured regimen as far as their daily activities go. A lot of people plan it into their day; it's a priority.

What would you say to people who are intimidated by the thought of joining a gym?

When people are intimidated, generally what they're looking for is information. There's nothing worse than trying to do something when you're lost. And I think a smaller environment is going to help them out. At some gyms, at 5 o'clock there are 200 people walking around, some who are just there for the social aspect. We don't really have that here. Think about making a speech in front of five people instead of 500; I'm going to be more comfortable in front of five people.

Are you a proponent of gyms or working out at home?

Any exercise is good exercise; you just have to find what you really enjoy.

What is your own routine like?

I pretty much stick to the resistance training, and I like getting out and playing competitive stuff like basketball. I've tried yoga, but it's just a little bit too slow for me. My son and I ride our bikes a lot together – that's another form of exercise that's like playing. That's one thing about Southlake, too; people are so rooted in their families. So many of my clients' kids do two or three or four activities.

Do you think it's important to lead by example, showing kids the benefits of exercise early on?

I think what you do as a child kind of patterns you for the rest of your life. If you keep your body busy, you're setting yourself up to be successful later. The scary thing about today's society is that kids are so sedentary. We're partnering with a company called Energym [opening in May], which is all about kids' exercise. It's a separate business in the same building, like a drop-in baby-sitter service. I think it's something Southlake can really grab hold of and use, because they're so into their kids.

Why is it so hard for people to stick to exercising?

Once you start a new habit, it changes the rest of your life – everything about your world. People don't realize the amount of effort it takes to change your life. They underestimate how difficult it is. It's like being wealthy; if it was easy, everybody would be wealthy.

Darla Atlas is a Fort Worth freelance writer.