Many people have an "all or nothing" mentality, they jump into an activity giving it 100% right off the bat - not a good idea for an exercise program.
Your body requires time to meet the challenge of the exertion taking place which is why exercise programs have different intensity levels. Starting at an inappropriate level means you will not be able to sustain the exercise over time and quit.
Note: If you are an older adult with health issues, talk with your physician before beginning an exercise program. Many health conditions may be controlled through exercise. So, if you're taking medications, there is a chance that your dosages may change - for the better!
The first step to a successful physical activity program is to begin slowly in whatever activity you choose. If you are walking, be realistic in planning your goal. Walk out for five minutes then turn around and walk back. Assess how you feel: Was it a problem for you? If not, keep the same routine for a few days. Still not a problem? Now add another minute or two to your time or distance. At some point, you will "feel" it especially if you're not used to exercising. Continue to stay on the routine for a week or so always assessing how you feel afterwards.
There may be days when you just don't feel like exercising, so the question is "Should I exercise today or not"? Here are some indications that you should not exercise and/or call your doctor:
1. If you feel a lot more fatigued than you normally do,
2. If you notice that there is swelling or pain around a joint or muscle,
3. If you notice new symptoms - something you did not have before,
4. Irregular, rapid or fluttery heartbeat or chest pain,
5. Shortness of breath,
6. If you have a fever from the flu, or a bad cold or infection.
As you become more and more involved in exercising, you will be able to know your body well enough to know when to stop and call your physician or just take off for a day or two until you feel better.
At this point, you want to add intensity a little at a time to avoid injury and allow the body to become stronger. Before long you will find yourself walking a much longer distance. Now, you need to made a decision - do you add even more distance or walk the same distance, but walk a little faster? A great motivator is a little device called a pedometer which you wear on your belt or waistband and keeps track of the number of steps you take during your exercise session. It's fun to see how many more steps you can add to your routine each day/week/month.
Now, begin to add some extra physical activity into your program:
1. Instead of driving around for 5 minutes trying to find a parking place close to the front door, park further out and get that extra few minutes of walking in.
2. Same holds true shopping or grocery shopping.
3. Take your pet for a walk - other than your exercise time. Pets can sometimes be a handful and slow you down so take them for their walk during another part of the day.
4. Take the steps instead of an elevator when possible.
To add fun to your routine, make a list of all the activities you either wanted to learn or maybe participated in as a young person. Are there any listed that you could do now? For instance, take tennis lessons, or swimming? What about a beginning water aerobics class? If you don't want to go by yourself, do you have a friend that would take lessons with you?
Make your exercise as much fun as you can and soon you will find yourself looking and feeling younger than your years and perhaps spending less time at the doctor's office.
Therese has been writing articles online for the past several years. Not only does this author specialize in health and wellness information, you can also check out her latest website at Tankless Water Heater Cost which provides information on tankless water heater prices for homeowners.
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