We've talked a lot about the right foods to eat, and the commitment to healthy living, but another key component to living a healthy lifestyle is getting active. Are you active, or do you need to move in that direction? It is amazing how much better you will feel and how much more energy you will have when you get your body moving! Our blog today contains tips to help you get started to begin living a more active lifestyle.
(Of course, you need to check with your doctor to make sure you can start an exercise program, but once you are clear, the following are great ways to get you started.)
When getting started, we suggest beginning a journal. In it, you can begin by writing down what your abilities are at your beginning point, ie. how far you can walk, how many push ups, sit ups, etc. you can do, body measurements, weight, etc. This is exciting to look back on as you make progress in your life changes!
Decide on your goals. Do you want to lose weight, run a 5K, 10K, or just build more strength and stamina? Whatever your goals, plan a routine. Adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (For example, walking 20-30 minutes/4-5 days a week, to begin) — or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity — a week. They also need two or more days of strength training a week. Write down a plan for when, where, and what you will do in each workout. Make an appointment with yourself, that you keep, for each workout in your plan. Journal your appointments, and your successes during those workouts, so that you can see what you have done for yourself.
Plan to do activities that you enjoy. If you don't enjoy it, you won't keep it up. Do you like dancing, walking, cycling, rowing, elliptical? Whatever you like, do it. To keep from getting bored, change it up on occasion, to keep your mind from getting bored, and help your body use different muscles.
Find a freind. If you have someone else to enjoy the activities with, the time goes by faster, you focus more on the conversation and less on the fact that you are working out. Plus, if you have someone else counting on you to be there, you are more likely to keep to your fitness goals!
Remember, as you start, don't begin too intense and burn out, or worse, injure youself. Listen to your body, and push yourself, but don't hurt yourself. Give yourself time to recover from your workouts. Muscles and joints need time to recover and build between your workouts, so rest is equally as important as the actual workout itself. Also, if you aren't feeling well, give yourself permission to take a day or two off. When the body if fighting off an illness, it doesn't have the strength to do much of anything else.
As you progress, be sure to keep track of your successes. It is also important to record any failures, or lessons you learn as you go through your fitness journey. These are always good to look back on and learn from. Getting in better physical shape is a journey, not a roller coaster ride. It is something, that if done right, will be a part of your life throughout the remainder of your life. It is something, that if done right, will change your life for the better and will better your life in more ways than you can even imagine.
No comments:
Post a Comment