Ready to start an exercise program? That’s great, but there are several steps you need to take if you want your fitness regimen to be successful.
1. Determine your exercise readiness. There are two items to consider before beginning an exercise program. The first is your physical preparation. The only way to determine if you are physically ready to exercise is through a medical examination. Tell your doctor that you want to start a fitness program and want to make sure you are healthy enough to start. The second consideration is your mental preparation. Specifically, you should consider the likelihood that you will stick with an exercise program once you start. Research has identified several factors that are related to long-term success, including previous experience with exercise, high self-confidence regarding exercise, a positive view of exercise, an awareness of the positive health benefits of exercise, support from family and friends, and convenience. The more of these factors you have going for you, the more likely you are to be successful in your fitness program.
2. Focus on increased activity, not a formal exercise program. You don’t have to do vigorous physical activity to increase your fitness level and improve your overall health. In fact, the American College of Sports Medicine has emphasized that 30 minutes of moderate physical activity (eg, walking, golfing) on most days is enough to yield significant health benefits. While this won’t prepare you to run a marathon or ride the Tour de France, it will achieve a higher level of fitness than a sedentary person. You will also feel better.
3. Select an exercise that you really enjoy. Maintaining a long-term exercise program is highly related to enjoying that program. You’ll almost certainly quit if you don’t enjoy your exercise regimen! Therefore, make sure that you select activities that you really like. Remember, you have a variety of activities to choose from such as walking, biking, running, weight lifting, skating, dancing, golf, handball, tennis, racquetball, basketball, and many more.
4. Learn how to exercise safely. The number one reason exercise programs fail is injury. An injury can include significant damage to muscle tissue, such as a sprain, or relatively minor muscle damage that manifests as pain. Either situation can decrease your motivation to exercise. So whatever activity you choose, make sure you learn to do it safely and calmly, especially at first.
5. exercise with others. Boredom is another common reason exercise programs fail. One way to overcome this problem is to exercise with friends. This provides several benefits, including a sense of camaraderie, a positive social experience, and the ability to push each other to higher levels of performance. Remember, for this to work, you need to find an exercise that all participants can enjoy, and it will need to accommodate different degrees of fitness.
6. Participate in organized fitness events. A great way to get motivated is to participate in an organized fitness event. On any given weekend, there are literally thousands of competitive and non-competitive fitness events geared toward a variety of fitness activities. These include swimming, climbing, cycling, hiking, running, walking, skating, and racket sports. Pick an activity you really enjoy and participate with a friend.
7. Prepare for setbacks. No matter how successful you are with your exercise regimen, you will experience setbacks. There will be missed workouts, bad eating days, and plateaus where you just can’t seem to improve. Don’t worry about that! Setbacks are inevitable, so recognize that they will happen and don’t get discouraged. Just focus on getting back on schedule as soon as you can.