Starting an exercise program for your very first time?
Learn the do's and don'ts here.
DON'T wait for the "perfect" time to start. There will
never be a perfect time. Learn a few of the basics and
start as soon as you can. Putting it off is a great way
to have nothing change.
DO take it slow when you begin. Rushing into an
intensive training program when you are just starting out
is sure to be overwhelming. You'll have a much greater
chance of sticking with it if you work into it gradually.
DON'T change everything all at once. Think of how
traumatic it would be if you suddenly went from relative
inactivity and poor eating to a high-powered program and a
strict diet. I would recommend you start with an exercise
program. Keep at it for 3 weeks consistently then think
about gradually modifying your nutritional habits.
DO make a committment to exercise. One of the keys to
establishing exercise as a habit is to make a committment
to it. If you go in with the attitude that you'll do it
when it's convenient or when you feel like it, your chances
of sticking to your exercise program decrease.
DON'T expect infomercial-level results. I'm not going
to tell you won't see great results - you will. Just don't
expect it to happen in 2 weeks.
DO learn as much as you can about training and exercise.
Knowledge is very important. If you don't know what to do,
take a little time and learn first. The rewards will be
huge!
DON'T assume you must exercise 2 hours a day to see
results. You don't have to exercise nearly that long. You
can see results with as little as 20 to 30 minutes done
3 times per week.
DO ask questions. If you don't know something, there
is no shame in asking. I will readily admit I don't know
everything about exercise and fitness (though I do know
quite a lot). If you have questions, please feel free to
ask me! (betteru@fitstep.com).
DON'T work your muscles to absolute failure when you
begin weight training. You will most likely make yourself
so sore, you won't want to training anymore. Take it
fairly easy for the first few session then gradually
increase your intensity.
DO tell other people your goals. One of the best ways
to ensure you keep your promise to exercise is to tell your
friends and family what you're doing. This way, you make
yourself accountable to people other than just yourself.
DON'T feel you need to buy all the latest training
equipment in order to start exercising. You can exercise
without any equipment at all! Walking doesn't cost a dime
and bodyweight exercises such as push-ups are completely
free too!
DO stretch and warm-up. Stretching during and after
your workouts promotes flexibility. Warming up prepares
your muscles for more strenuous work to come.
DON'T give up all your favorite foods all at once. A
great way to make yourself focus on a certain food is quit
eating it. For example, if you love chocolate cake and
tell yourself you can never have it again, are you going to
be thinking about chocolate cake a lot? Chances are, yes.
Treat yourself now and again. It will keep you from
stressing and bingeing later.
DO try to eat more natural-state, unprocessed foods.
Processing adds fat, salt and sugar, all of which can
contribute to health problems. You don't have to cut them
out completely but see if you can shift your focus to more
unprocessed foods.
If you are thinking about starting an exercise program or
have just started one, these tips should help keep you on
the right track.
If you know someone who is considering starting an exercise
program, please click on the link below this article to send it to them. Many
people don't start a program because they simply don't know
where to begin. By passing along this information to them,
you may be giving them the best gift of all: better health
and fitness.
