Whether you’ve never set foot in the gym or you simply need to get back on track with your exercise routine, now is a great time to start.
“The sooner you start, the sooner you will enjoy the many benefits of exercising — from improved moods and better sleep to lower blood pressure and healthier blood glucose levels,” said Chesley Large, a health coach and specialist in exercise therapy at Tanner Health Source.
According to Large, it’s best to always get consent from your doctor before starting a fitness routine, then start slowly with about 30 minutes a day of physical activity three times week and work up to at least 150 minutes a week.
Walking is one of the safest exercises to start with; you can walk outdoors or inside on a treadmill.
When you’re getting started, try to exercise at the same time of day — maybe in the morning, on your lunch break or right after work — so it becomes part of your regular routine.
If you miss your opportunity to exercise, still squeeze in some sort of physical activity. For example, if you couldn’t make it to your Zumba class, go for a quick walk instead. Even on days when there isn’t time for a workout, Large suggests boosting your activity level with simple changes, such as parking your car farther away from the store, carrying a basket instead of pushing a grocery cart and taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
Shake up your routine and try a variety of forms of exercise so you don’t get bored, Large suggests. Try walking on a local trail or greenway instead of just around your own neighborhood for a change of scenery. Consider swimming or biking when possible.
“Swimming is a great option, especially for people with arthritis or osteoporosis in their family because it provides resistance but it’s not weight-bearing,” Large said. “It can be very beneficial and also help prevent injury.”
Whenever your workout starts to get easy, it’s time to change it up. Typically, this happens within about six to eight weeks of beginning a workout routine.
Find a friend to workout with you, Large suggests. Exercising with a friend provides a boost of motivation and keeps you from getting bored. It also forces you to schedule your workout and holds you accountable — meaning you are less likely to cancel.
Make reasonable goals and try not to get discouraged, especially if you hadn’t exercised regularly in a long time.
And, perhaps the most important piece of advice is to pick something you enjoy.
“If you don’t like going to the gym, then don’t go,” Large said. “Pick something else you enjoy doing — whether it’s going for a walk, doing yard work or taking a bike ride.”
Learn more about fitness and sign up to use Get Healthy, Live Well’s free fitness tracking tool by selecting the “Get Fit” menu at www.GetHealthyLiveWell.org.