If you have decided to get more active, congratulations! Making
that decision is an important first step in becoming a healthier person.
Keep these key points in mind:
Being fit helps you look and feel your best and
reduces your risk for a heart attack, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and some
cancers.
Knowing why you want to get more active can help you make
a change.
Start with small, short-term goals that you can reach
pretty easily. It's easier to stick to something new when you have early,
frequent successes.
Support from family and friends can go a long
way toward helping you find success in becoming more active. Don't be afraid to
let them know what you're trying to do—and ask for their help.
If you're worried about how more activity might affect your
health, have a checkup before you start. Follow any special advice that your
doctor gives you for getting a smart start.
Doing an
exercise or some other physical activity once isn't so hard. The hard part is
making changes in your daily life so that you start
moving more—and keep moving more as part of your daily
routine.
Jumping in too far too fast doesn't usually work,
especially over the long haul.
Starting an exercise program—or any
kind of change in the way you live your daily life—is like being on a path. The
path leads to success. And there are three steps you have to take first:
Have your own reasons for doing
this.
Set goals. Include long-term goals as well as short-term
goals that you can measure easily.
Think about what might get in
your way, and prepare for slip-ups.
Test Your Knowledge
The hardest part about exercising is making it a
permanent part of your life.
Anybody can exercise once. The hard part is
making regular activity a part of your daily life. By thinking about it ahead
of time and planning how you will do it, you can be successful.
Changing your daily habits is harder than doing
something once or twice. But by thinking about it ahead of time and planning
how you will do it, you can be successful.
Your reason for
wanting to become more active is really important. Don't do it just because
your spouse or boyfriend or parent wants you to. What makes you want to get
more active?
You have a specific health concern (your
heart, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, diabetes, depression, your
bones and muscles, or something else).
You want to feel better and
have more energy.
You want to lose weight or stay at a certain
weight.
Your doctor told you that it's important for your
health.
You have another reason for wanting to do this.
It's not easy to make changes. But taking the time now to
really think about what will motivate or inspire you will help you stay active
for the long term.
Test Your Knowledge
To be successful at making activity a regular part of
your life, you have to know why it's important to you.
Actually, the answer is "true." It's not enough
to decide to start exercising just because your spouse or your girlfriend wants
you to. You have to have your own reasons for doing it.
As we said before,
you're not as likely to succeed if you jump in too far too fast. In this
section, you'll learn about the steps to follow in setting up an exercise
plan.
Set your goals.
Pick an activity,
and prepare for it.
Think about your barriers.
Get
support—from others and from yourself.
Set your goals
When you
are clear about your reasons for wanting to get active, it's time to set your
goals.
What is your long-term goal? A long-term goal is something
you want to reach in 6 to 12 months. For example, someone who isn't active at
all right now may have a goal of entering an organized 5-kilometer walk in 6
months.
Whatever you choose for your goal, experts recommend
doing either of these things to get and stay healthy:1
Moderate activity for at least 2½ hours
a week. Moderate activity means things like brisk walking, brisk cycling, or
shooting baskets. But any activities—including daily chores—that raise your
heart rate can be included.
Vigorous activity for at least 1¼ hours a week. Vigorous activity means things
like jogging, cycling fast, cross-country skiing, or playing a basketball game.
You breathe faster and your heart beats much faster with this kind of
activity.
It's fine to be active in several blocks of 10 minutes or
more throughout your day and week. And you can choose to do one or both types
of activity.
If you decide to aim for these recommendations, what
are the short-term goals that will help you get there? Short-term goals are
things you want to do tomorrow and the day after.
For example, if
you want to build up to walking 30 minutes every day, you might start by
walking just 10 minutes a day, a few days a week. After a week, you can set a
new goal by adding just a few minutes every day or adding another day to your
schedule.
Pick an activity that you enjoy or think you
might enjoy. You're more likely to keep doing something you like. Walk the dog.
Use the stairs. Do some gardening.
Learn the proper way to do your
activity, and be aware of any safety concerns.
For ideas on fitting more activity into your day, see the
topic
Fitness.
Think about barriers
Take the time to think about what things could get
in the way of your success. We call these things barriers. And by thinking
about them now, you can plan ahead for how to deal with them if they happen.
Read more about
common barriers and what you can do about them.
Here are some tips for dealing with barriers:
It's perfectly normal to try something, stop
it, and then get mad at yourself. Lots of people try and try again before they
reach their goals.
If you feel like giving up, don't waste energy
feeling bad about yourself. Remember your reason for wanting to change, think
about the progress you've made, and give yourself a pep talk and a pat on the
back. Then you may feel like going for a walk.
When you hit a
barrier—and most people do—get support. Talk to your family members and friends
to see if someone wants to be active with you or cheer you on. If you have
concerns about your health, talk to your doctor to make sure that you're doing
your activities safely.
Don't forget little rewards. Something to
look forward to can keep you moving right along.
The more support you have, the easier it is to
exercise.
If your family members tell you that they love how
you're getting healthier, you'll probably be motivated to bound up the stairs
at work or walk an extra 10 minutes.
And there's more support out
there. You can even ask for encouragement. Here are a few things to look
for:
Walk or do your activities with a partner.
It's motivating to know that someone is counting on you. That person can remind you how good it feels to exercise or how far you've come. And that person can even motivate you with what he or she has accomplished.
Friends
and family may be a great resource. They can exercise with you or encourage you
by saying how they admire you. Friends can tell you how good you look because you're exercising. Don't be afraid to tell family and friends that their encouragement makes a big difference to you.
You might join a
class or workout group. People in these groups often have some of the same
barriers you have. They can give you support when you don't feel like exercising. They can boost your morale when you need a lift.
Give
yourself positive reinforcement. Reward yourself! Buy new workout clothes, take yourself to the movies, or treat yourself to a new DVD. Do whatever it takes to remind yourself that you've been meeting your goals. You're successful!
Your doctor or a fitness professional can help you plan a routine
and learn proper form and technique. He or she can
help you track progress toward your health goals.
You might find a fitness professional at a local health club or in phone listings. When deciding on fitness professionals, ask about how they were trained and what certifications they have. Check into experience and ask for a few references.
Support is everywhere. You just have to look for it.
Test Your Knowledge
Setting your goals is an important first step in
forming your exercise plan.
You're more likely to be successful if you sit
down and figure out what your long-term goals are and what small steps you can
take to reach those goals.
In this case, barriers are things that get in
the way of reaching our goals. Barriers to exercise include the valid reasons
that you aren't active and the excuses you make to avoid something you dislike
or fear.
In this case, barriers are things that get in
the way of reaching our goals. Barriers to exercise include the valid reasons
that you aren't active and the excuses you make to avoid something you dislike
or fear.
Barriers are things that get in the way of
reaching our goals. Barriers to exercise include the valid reasons that you
aren't active and the excuses you make to avoid something you dislike or
fear.
Now that you have read
this information, you are ready to plan your exercise program.
Talk with your doctor
If you have
questions about this information, print it out and take it with you when you
visit your doctor. You may want to mark areas or make notes in the margins
where you have questions.
If you would like more information on exercising and
fitness, the following resources are available:
Organizations
U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services—Be Active Your Way: A Guide for Adults
The Department of Health and Human Services is the United States government's main agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services.
On this National Health Information website you will find a link to "Be Active Your Way: A Guide for Adults." This guide provides the basic information in the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. And it gives examples of physical activity to help you get started.
American College of Sports Medicine: Exercise Is Medicine Public Action Guide
American College of Sports Medicine
401 West Michigan Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3233
Phone:
(317) 637-9200, ext. 127 or 133
Email:
EIM@acsm.org
Web Address:
www.exerciseismedicine.org/public.htm
On this American College of Sports Medicine website you will find a link to the "Public Action Guide," a tool for using exercise to help prevent or manage many health problems. The goal of Exercise Is Medicine is to make physical activity and exercise a standard part of disease prevention
and treatment in the United States.
America on the Move: Steps to a Healthier Life
Phone:
1-800-807-0077
Web Address:
www.americaonthemove.org
America On the Move offers free, personalized online
resources, interactive tools, community support, and events. This program helps
you build eating and activity habits that positively affect your weight and
health.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2008).
2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (ODPHP
Publication No. U0036). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Available online:
http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/default.aspxf.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2008).
2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (ODPHP
Publication No. U0036). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Available online:
http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/default.aspxf.
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use.
How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
