by Tessa Drysdale

Created on: October 28, 2009

Getting Back Into Shape

Getting back in shape can be a nightmare for the majority of people, but especially if you are impatient and want to see the results yesterday! Did you know that exercising is one of the best things you can do for your health? It can reduce your risk of chronic disease, improve your balance and co-ordination, help you lose weight; improve your sleep habits and self-esteem.

Research from Mayo Clinic suggests that a persons' level of fitness drops drastically when they have not exercised for a while or have not stuck to exercising on a regular basis. It is important to set yourself realistic goals because there is not point in starting an exercise regime only to stop it a few weeks later because you get bored and/or lazy.

When getting back in shape, you need to start exercising gently so that over time you can eventually build up to a faster pace. Whatever exercise regime you undertake to get back in shape, it is important to remember to give yourself plenty of time to warm up and cool down with easy walking or gentle stretching. After stretching, you can then speed up the pace for approximately five to 10 minutes only if you do not get overly tired. If you cannot carry on a conversation while you exercise, you are probably pushing too hard. As your stamina improves, increase the amount of time you exercise by one to five minutes per session. Try to aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week.

You do not have to do all your exercise in one go. If this gets a little boring, you can always break it up a little. Try to do shorter but more frequent exercise sessions, as they are good for your mind, body and soul but also have aerobic benefits.

Research from Mayo Clinic also suggests that the average person should try and do ten minutes of exercise three times a day and if you are extremely busy and need an exercise routine to fit into your schedule better than a do a single 30-minute session after work, University or school.

If you want your workout to be more creative, you could include a variety of different activities, such as walking, bicycling, swimming or rowing. However, you do not need to stop there. Take a weekend hike with your family or spend an evening ballroom dancing. Both of these activities are extremely good for increasing fitness levels but are also extremely fun.

It's important to remember to take it easy and not to push yourself too hard otherwise you may end up injuring yourself or worst yet exhausting

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>