How can I start an exercise program?

Start slowly, especially if you aren't used to exercise, then build up as you become stronger and increase endurance.  Think of activities you like to do or would like to try.  You may have an easier time sticking to a workout program if you like what your doing.  There are many ways you can exercise.  Walking, gardening, moving furniture, playing a sport, playing tag with the kids, lifting weights, using stairs instead of the elevator, fitness classes, mowing the lawn with a push mower, swimming, hiking, vacuuming---on and on--it all counts.  It's best to include a warm up (5-10 minutes), flexibility (10 minutes), strength (20 to 30 minutes at least 2 days per week), and cardio training (at least 30 minutes most days per week), as well as a cool down (5-10 minutes) in your exercise program.  If you have health conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, or heart disease, consult your physician before starting a new exercise program.     

Go slowly at first, then build as you are able. Starting small, then building into a full exercise program will let you become adjusted to the exercise and help you to make it a habit. For example, if you are healthy, and start out walking and swimming as your exercise, start with just 10 minutes a day the first week.

As you increase in strength and endurance, add five minutes the second week, then another five minutes the third week and on until you get up to an acceptable program. If you have not been physically active, be sure to get your physician's consent before starting any exercise program.

If you’re new to exercise, or it’s been a long time since you exercised regularly it’s a good idea to get a thorough physical from your physician before you start an exercise program. Once you’ve been cleared it’s important to start slow and create clear manageable realistic goals that will help set up for success. Start with light exercise that is challenging but well within your current levels of fitness and health. Start with a simple goal of walking for 30 minutes three times a week, this goal that is specific, realistic and targeted and easy to reach. Once you have reached this goal expand into a further goal like walking five days a week or adding 1-2 days a week of resistance training. By gradually increasing the frequency of exercise and the intensity you will improve your fitness and your confidence while decreasing your risk of injury.   

According to some experts, the ideal exercise program consists of at least a half hour a day of exercising to the point where your heart rate is up and you feel tired but can still hold a conversation. The key is to start slowly. No matter what activity you choose to start with, be patient with yourself and don't push yourself to do too much at once. If you choose to walk more, walk for five minutes the first week and then add a minute each day until you reach your ideal amount. If you decide to ride a bicycle or go in-line skating, you may choose to add distance instead of time. However you choose to do it, move slowly until you get to, and possibly even exceed, your exercise goal.

Do something, anything, for a half hour, five to seven days a week. A walk with a friend is a great way to start or break up the day. Use your lunchtime to take a walk; you can eat when you return. You may also find that your stress level at work decreases and you're more alert to finish the day. Swimming can be very relaxing, because of the primal experience of being in water and the minimal level of stress on your joints. If you're inclined to do more strenuous exercise, then a run or a gym workout may be more to your liking. (Also remember that your local community center may have low-cost exercise programs and equipment that can save you a fortune in gym fees.) The mood boost and weight loss (or maintenance) will have a significant impact on your mental well-being. If you hate gyms or don't want to walk outside, exercise while watching TV. Do stretches, high-knee marching, and strength exercises, such as push-ups, squats, or weight lifting. You'll feel better right away. Just do something, and do it often and for consistent durations.

For many of us, exercise has become another difficult chore that has to be fit in somewhere between the babies and the boardroom. Sometimes it takes more of an attitude adjustment than anything else to get yourself going on an exercise routine, especially if you lead a sedentary life and haven't exercised in a while (if ever). My advice as to the best way to get going? One baby step at a time. This may seem contradictory to the "no excuses" philosophy, but it's not. I also believe in being realistic.

I understand that many of us are all-or-nothing people. We dive headlong into the pool or we don't go in at all. We join a gym, go every day for a month, puff away on the treadmill or the elliptical, and then, when it gets too hard to keep up the pace, we quit. Our bodies can't keep up with our good intentions. If you need to lose weight and haven't exercised in a while, don't jump into a training regimen right away. Start your nutrition program first, lose a few pounds, and then begin your exercise program. If you're 80 pounds overweight and you go to the gym, you're going to get discouraged when you can't go more than three minutes at a time without losing your breath. A 2009 study from the Netherlands showed that starting and staying with a serious exercise program is much easier after you've lost some weight. It's not that overweight people are lazy or unwilling. It's just that exercise is much more difficult if you're carrying around extra pounds.

Most people give up when they don't see results right away. We are a culture of instant gratification. If we try hard for a few days and don't see results, it's easy for us to quit. It can also be intimidating or embarrassing to go to a gym where everyone else seems to be in much better shape. In that case, you may be better off starting an exercise program at home or going to a gym that caters specifically to women. When you start to lose weight first, you'll feel lighter and have more stamina. Get your nutrition together, get your sleep patterns in order, get your sexual energy in place, start taking your recommended supplements, and then it will be much easier to begin your exercise program.