Some Tips for Starting An Exercise Program

Besides balanced diet, exercise also forms an integral part of a heart-healthy lifestyle.

People who perform regular exercise spreading over the entire week, tend to achieve a higher level of aerobic fitness, strength, endurance and flexibility. Patients with heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis or even arthritis will likely benefit from controlled levels of exercise.

As recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine, exercising 3 to 5 days a week will ensure one getting the optimal health benefits.

Here are some tips for starting an exercise program:

• Try to join a group, gym, class (for swimming, Tai Chi, or dancing) or engage a personal trainer to help develop a suitable routine.
• Be realistic by setting achievable goals to accomplish your exercise routine.
• Select your exercise preferences so as to match your goals. For example, if you hate swimming, then don’t make water sports be a part of your routine.
• You can review your goals and adjust them accordingly on a regular basis.
• Consider getting partners like friends or family members to exercise together. In this way, the exercise program can be continued and maintained by encouraging one another.

For instance, I brisk walk around my apartment with my wife for about 1 hour 3 to 5 times a week before our dinner. During the walk, we can talk to each other and the time passes very quickly. We don’t really feel like we have walked for 60 minutes. And if one day we did not walk for whatever reason, we would feel very uneasy. It has become our second nature!