Exercising: The Basics - Keep Fit
The Perfect Fit
Want to do something that will drastically extend the length of your life? Make you feel happy and less stressed? Give you energy to do everything you want? Make you stronger, lighter, and more flexible? How about something that will vastly improve the overall quality of your life? The answer? It’s exercise.
Don’t be afraid! Exercise is no longer about the legwarmer wearing, pastel leotard clad aerobics instructor videos of the 1980s, nor is it about the tanned, muscle bulging super-hulks of the World Weightlifting Championships. Surprise! Exercise doesn’t have to be painful or even tacky, for that matter. It can be fun and easy! Here’s how.
Getting Started
The first thing you want to do before exercising is check with your doctor to make sure that you don’t have a medical condition. If you have a heart disease or high blood pressure, it is not a good idea to jump right into a rigorous exercise program. People who have recently been ill, who are pregnant, who have diabetes or who haven’t exercised in over a year should also talk with their doctor first.
The next step is to make sure that you have the right clothing and footwear for your exercise program. Wear light, comfortable clothing that is easy to move around in and will protect you from the sun if you’re outside. Invest in a good pair of athletic shoes and make sure you wear socks that aren’t too bulky or too thin.
Building an Exercise Plan
Starting an exercise plan is a daunting task! But, if you set realistic, achievable goals you’ll feel good about yourself and achieve more in the long run. Ask yourself, what do I want to achieve? How am I going to get there? When do I want to achieve it? What will I do to reward myself?
The main categories of exercise are: (1) cardiovascular, (2) strength training, and (3) flexibility. Nutrition is also a corner stone of healthy living. Always begin your workout with 10 to 15 minutes of stretching and a light cardio warm-up of 5 to 10 minutes. Slowly work up to exercising for 30 to 45 minutes in your target heart rate (see the following section) and be sure to include rest days between hard workouts. To beat the boredom of mundane and repetitive exercises, check out our fun exercise tips in the article Fun Fitness for Healthy Living. Examples of good cardio activities are: jogging, walking, bike riding, swimming, and rowing.
Your Target Heart Rate
In order to lose weight and feel great, your cardio activities must get your heart pumping in its target heart rate.
Weekly Exercise Plan
A personal trainer at a health or fitness centre can help you establish a weekly exercise plan.
Here is a basic plan:
Monday: Cardio for 30 minutes, strength training on abdominal muscles and core, stretch
Tuesday: Cardio for 30 minutes, strength training on legs, stretch
Wednesday: Cardio for 30 minutes, strength training on arms, back and shoulders, stretch
Thursday: Take a rest or try a yoga class
Friday: Whole body strength training, stretch
Saturday: Cardio for 45 minutes, stretch |
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