Starting a fitness program can be the hardest thing of all. You want to work out but you're afraid to take the exercise plunge. There are steps you can and should take prior to ever completing your first rep at the gym or lap around the track. These few steps will help take the guesswork out of your workout and make starting a fitness program both safe and effective.
Take These Five Steps Before You Start A New Exercise Program
- See your doctor before you start a fitness program
First and foremost, get checked out by your doctor through a complete physical examination. Certain risk factors make this mandatory: leading a sedentary life style, smoking, or if you have a family history of heart disease, just to name a few. Other risk factors include obesity, age (men over 40, women over 50) and diseases such as diabetes or hypertension. Also, if you've been inactive for a while don’t assume you are at previous fitness levels. That brings us to the next step.
- Start exercising slowly
Don't assume you'e as fit as you were five or even two years ago. Fitness levels will diminish quickly once activity levels decline. Come to realistic conclusions when gauging current levels. When you start training, take it easy at first, and gradually increase intensity levels. Remember, slow and steady avoids injury and gets results.
- Adopt healthy eating and sleeping habits
This doesn't mean just eating to lose weight by lowering caloric intake, but rather consuming highly nutritious meals that are relatively low in fat and sugar. Be sure adequate levels of protein, carbohydrates as well as vitamin and minerals are included in your diet every day. Just as important as a healthy diet is a good night's sleep. Get seven or eight hours of restful sleep nightly.
- Be consistent but realistic
Don't place unrealistic demands on yourself, either performance- or time-wise. Plan out your week to include time for exercise, but don’t over-schedule yourself into failure. 'Setting goals will help define your program and get results, but if you can't get in a full workout, do what you can and remember tomorrow is another day. And very importantly, when you do well, reward yourself.
- Give yourself an education
Invest some time and effort in finding out how to exercise properly, and what type of training will work for you. Speak to those more knowledgeable than yourself, hire a trainer, or read up on the subject, but learn about how to get fit safely and effectively. The time and effort you invest here will save you months or even years in down time due to injury resulting from incorrect form, or wasted time spent on ineffective hype that gets you nowhere.
When it comes to exercise, stop playing guessing games. Instead, follow the above simple, common sense guidelines and get on the right track before you start.
The Firefighter's Workout Book : The 30 Minute a Day Train-for-Life Program for Men and Women
Michael Stefano is author of The Firefighter's Workout Book, as well as a twenty year veteran of the New York City Fire Department. His simple, yet highly effective training programs are used by firefighters across the country, and the general population alike.
Posted September 2003
Updated November 2010
