ou have been slaving at the gym forever. And you still don't have anything to show for all that dedication.

That's enough to de-motivate the best of us. What you need is something to pep you up, to make you feel good and make you continue with your fitness routine.

Pamper yourself after your workout. That's your brownie point for having been so good! Read on, but remember to drink lots and lots of water to replace what you lost during your pump session!

1. Heard of shower gels? Get the best and most fragrant ones to use after your workout. They relax your muscles and make you feel good and refreshed. Ramma Bans, the founder of aerobics in India, says, "The best thing you can do to feel good after a workout is to have a shower. You would think exercise drains you. But take a shower after you workout and see how magically you perk up!"

2. Many new gyms around the country offer you the use of their sauna and/or Jacuzzi along with your membership. Snatch the opportunity! It will make you feel as good as new.

Most gyms also have professional masseurs. Once in a while, treat yourself to a massage after your workout. It is well worth the nominal amount you will pay your masseur. Invest in some fragrant oils.

3. If jogging is your routine, make sure you s-t-r-e-t-c-h after you are done! Stretching is one of the best-known ways to relax. It also reduces soreness. Ramma Bans is an ardent believer in stretching. "There can be no exercise session that does not begin and end with stretches. People underrate and often overlook the importance of stretching. It both tones and limbers your body to prepare it for a workout and it relaxes you at the end of it," she says.

Soak your feet in warm fragrant oil.

If you have it, soak long and luxuriously to potpourri, gentle music and candlelight in a hot tub. Make use of the opportunity to apply a facial mask and condition your hair.

Those who don't have a hot tub will find that a shower with relaxing gels and some music helps!

4. Give a thought to meditation. Bans says, "It is one of the best ways to end an exhaustive workout session. It totally changes the hectic rhythm of your workout and is a great way to de-stress. I always stress on meditation at the end of every class because it relaxes your muscles and calms you down."

Invest in a few meditation tapes. They will help you relax.

5. Once in a while, gift yourself a new outfit that shows off your newly trim figure! Better still, make an effort to look good in sexy workout gear when you exercise. Bans says, "I totally believe in this. I encourage my class to dress well; it makes you feel better and keeps you motivated as you get trimmer."

6. Lifting weights, rowing machines and the like are great for your tone, but rough on your hands. Ditto long cardio exercises. A surefire way to pampering? A manicure and pedicure. Don't forget to invest in a pair of workout gloves.

7. Green tea and herbal teas are long known to be soothing and full of health benefits. Peppermint tea and chamomile tea are especially great for a boost and for relaxation respectively. Ramma Bans says the best relaxant she has at the end of the day is tea. "That is my only vice!"