Posted by Bob Greene on Fri, Aug 14, 2009
You know that you need to move more to lose weight, but you may
not know exactly where to start. Should you do aerobic or strength
training? How often should you work out? How hard? What kind of
activity is best? Don't worry! Here are all the tips you need to get
started. (And
remember to get the green-light from your doctor before starting an
exercise routine.)
Set your goal. The first
thing you should do is figure out exactly what you want to
accomplish—what your primary goal is. For example, your exercise plan
might be different if you're looking to lose weight than if you want to
improve your overall fitness. The guidelines below can help you create a routine that will peel
off pounds.
Find an activity you enjoy.
Typically, most people focus on aerobic exercise when they're trying to
lose weight, and that's a great place to begin. Aerobic exercise, which
helps your muscles burn calories at a higher rate, is basically any
activity that uses the large muscle groups, can be maintained
continuously, is rhythmic in nature and elevates your heart rate and
breathing. This includes jogging, walking, swimming, rowing and biking.
If you're just starting out, I'd recommend that you begin with power
walking. This is my number-one choice because you
can do it virtually anywhere, anytime and the risk of injury is low.
Obviously, the workout you choose should be based on any physical
limitations you may have and your preferences. For instance, do you
prefer to be alone or in a group setting? Would you rather exercise
indoors or out?
Schedule your sweat sessions. Your next step is to determine how much exercise you can reasonably fit into your life. Look at your schedule and plan out your exercise sessions. A
good place to start: 15 to 20 minutes three times a week. If you can do
more than this, great. Your ultimate goal is 250 minutes per week (that's 50 minutes five days per week) of moderate- to vigorous-intensity exercise. That's what it takes to lose weight, according to studies. Don't be overwhelmed: Do as much as you can and work your way up. You can try
adding a few minutes to each session after the first few weeks.
Work on your intensity.
Many people overlook this aspect of exercise, but you'll have to work
out at an intense enough level to reap the full benefits from your
routine. To gauge your intensity, you can use either a heart rate
monitor to figure out your target heart rate, or even easier, use your
perceived level of exertion—basically, how hard it feels like you're
working based on your breathing. This scale consists of 10 levels,
where 1 is resting and 10 is all-out exercise. The level you want to
aim for is a 7; at this level, you could still talk, but would
prefer not to, and though the workout is challenging, you could still
complete your planned workout.
Add in strength training.
Once you feel comfortable with your aerobic routine, I'd recommend incorporating some strength-training exercises. Strength
training, or resistance training, is so important because it maintains
and builds new muscle. And remember, it takes more calories for the
body to maintain muscle than it does fat, so the more muscle you have,
the more calories you burn. Check out
TheBestLife.com for some great strength-training exercises and routines.
The beautiful thing about the human body is that whatever your level of
fitness is today, you can significantly improve it by consistently
challenging your ability. So if you've never exercised or haven't in
quite some time, start with small steps towards your goals and before
you know it, you'll not only be slimmer, but you'll be fitter and
healthier, too!