Exercise: Guidelines to Getting Started

Thinking about adding physical activity to your life, but not sure how to get started? Sometimes taking the first step is the hardest part.

If you have not been active in some time, your best approach is to start at a comfortable level and add a little more activity as you gain in strength and cardiovascular endurance.

What is holding you back?
Think about reasons why you have not been physically active. Then try to come up with some ways to get past what is keeping you from getting active.

Have you said to yourself...

• I haven't been active in a very long time. Choose something you like to do. Many people find walking helps them get started. Before you know it, you will be doing more each day.
• I just don't have the time for exercise. Start with 10-minute chunks of time a couple of days a week. Walk during a break. Dance in the living room to your favorite music. It all adds up.
• It costs too much. You don't have to join a health club or buy fancy equipment to be active. Play tag with your kids. Walk briskly with your dog for 10 minutes or more.

Grab a notebook and jot down a list of things you could do to get past what may be holding you back.

Okay, just what will physical activity do for me?
You may have heard the good things you can gain from regular physical activity. Check off which of these benefits you hope to get from active living:

• Be healthier
• Increase my chances of living longer
• Feel better about myself
• Have less chance of becoming depressed
• Sleep better at night
• Help me look good
• Be in shape
• Get around better
• Have stronger muscles and bones
• Help me stay at or get to a healthy weight
• Be with friends or meet new people
• Enjoy myself and have fun

Also of note, when you are not physically active, you are more likely to:

• Get heart disease
• Get type 2 diabetes
• Have high blood pressure
• Have high blood cholesterol
• Have a stroke

Getting Started, Moving Forward

Start by doing what you can, and then look for ways to do more. If you have not been active for a while, start out slowly. After several weeks or months, build up your activities—do them longer and more often.

Walking is one way to add physical activity to your life. When you first start, walk 10 minutes a day on a few days during the first couple of weeks.

Add more time and days. Walk a little longer. Try 15 minutes instead of 10 minutes. Then walk on more days a week.

Pick up the pace. Once this is easy to do, try walking faster. Keep up your brisk walking for a couple of months. You might want to add biking on the weekends for variety.

How much physical activity do you need each week?

Aerobic:

• Adults should get at least 2 hours and 30 minutes each week of aerobic physical activity that requires moderate effort.
• You need to do this type of activity for at least 10 minutes at a time.

Strengthening:

• Adults should also do muscle strengthening or strength training activities at least 2 days a week.
• Strengthening activities include push-ups, sit-ups and lifting weights

Most Importantly, Do it your way.

• Pick an activity you like and one that fits into your life.
• Find the time that works best for you.
• Be active with friends and family. Having a support network can help you keep up with your program.
• There are many ways to build the right amount of activity into your life. Every little bit adds up and doing something is better than doing nothing.