Sunday, May 11, 2014

Starting an Exercise Program

Starting an exercise program can be intimidating.  You often wonder – where do I start?  What types of exercises should I do?  When should I start? Well, you definitely want to start exercising sooner than later.  The benefits of exercising just 30 minutes a day can do wonders for your overall health.

The main thing to remember is to start slowly.  You don’t have to be a body builder or a fitness buff to start an exercise regimen.   Also, it doesn’t matter what exercises you do – any type of movement is good for your mind, body and soul.  It is a proven fact that exercise releases endorphins in the brain that can improve your mood. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that you definitely want to incorporate both cardio exercises (i.e. treadmill, elliptical, bike) and strength training (i.e. various machines at the gym, free weights, push-ups).   Strength training helps build muscle (don’t think huge bulky muscles!), which burns fat and therefore you become more fit.  Cardio exercises elevate your heart rate, which not only helps you maintain a healthy heart, but also can lead to weight loss.  Use this Target Heart Rate Calculator to see what range you should keep your heart rate between when exercising to get the most out of your workout.

Also, why not ask a friend or family member to join you?  You can keep each other on track and encourage one another to keep going.  It’s a win-win! 

Here are 35 easy ways to incorporate exercise into your life.  You may be surprised to see that some of your everyday activities are actually helping you improve your fitness.

This YouTube video shares some tips for starting a workout program.  

Before you know it, you will be looking great and feeling healthy!


Reference:
karmajello.com

8 comments:

  1. Great information! Definitely helps to have a work out partner to keep each other motivated. The key is to just keep moving! I could not get your 35 easy ways page to load.

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  2. Another thing to remember when exercising and starting a new routine is that spot training DOES NOT EXIST. This goes along with your fad diets post, you can't do an isolated exercise for one area that will tone and lose fat around that area only. Cardio and HITT training are the best for losing the weight, and weight training to keep the calories burning throughout the day. Great post!

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  3. Good tip video. Accountability is important. I remember the endorphins when I was running. Great feeling!

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  4. Awesome tips! I love these ideas and picked up on a few to add to my routine! Thanks!

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  5. Great tips. I think that you make a great point about weight training with your cardio. High reps with low weight will help burn those calories without bulking up.

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  6. I totally agree on having a work out partner. I recently started working out during lunch with a group of guys from work. Definitely put me back on track to have an accountabilabuddy!

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  7. Great Tips! I really like the 35 tips, and Ill have to start incorporating them into my routine!

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  8. As part of my recent health kick, I started working out a little. It feels good knowing that you are working to improve your health, but if you do it right, it really beats you up!

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