Beginning to exercise – First things first

BY: GEOFF HAMPTON

One of the most common questions I am asked by people who truly wish to change their lives is, “Where do I start? For anyone who hasn’t exercised in a long while (or ever) my first suggestion is that they speak to their doctor. The doctor may not do anything more than give the person a physical exam that helps identify any unknown health threats that even moderate exercise may exacerbate. Once the doctor gives the okay to begin an exercise program, the next step is to make a decision as to what the goal of the new exercise regimen is going to be.

One pitfall for many people who may have been inactive for a prolonged period of time is over exuberance. In other words, their initial excitement leads them to try to make a leap that they are not yet ready for. The result in this instance commonly is failure and an immediate return to the sedentary lifestyle that was in place before the well intentioned attempt to make the positive change.

In seeking an exercise regimen one should use realistic thought process and start off slow. For most sedentary individuals who wish to begin an exercise program, walking is one of the best activities available and the cost is good – IT’S FREE. It will help to have someone to walk with for mutual encouragement and camaraderie.

When beginning a walking program, or any other exercise program, a log book is important. Every walk or exercise should be recorded. The date, time of day and amount of exercise done should all be recorded in this tracking log. In terms of the actual walking regimen, create a gauge of exertion that can help you make incremental increases in the amount of energy that you expend while walking.

A good heart rate monitor and a pedometer are other important tools for any walking program.

The use of goals can dramatically enhance any exercise program. Moderate goals are the key in the beginning. Set easily attainable goals and progress with “baby steps”. Never try to make dramatic leaps forward in exercise intensity if you haven’t worked out in awhile. It is more important to establish consistency than it is to try to hard to “get back where I used to be” too quickly.

I have heard “experts” claim things such as “Walking isn’t enough! Everyone needs to change the way eat and exercise their muscular system too!” Forget it! One of the reasons that so many people have started and stopped is that their expectation was based on “experts” whose intentions were good, but their methodology was too intense for most new exercisers. Start slow and build on according to a set of goals and a plan that takes “baby steps”.

Other people ask if they should join a health club to become healthier. The truth is that most health clubs are designed for regular exercisers. Think about it. At most clubs, a one-size fits all philosophy exists. For regular exercisers who can afford a health club, it’s a good investment. For most people who are not regular exercisers, it is a recipe for failure. Most health clubs have the same new member introduction for regular exercisers as they do for non-exercisers who simply have made a spontaneous decision to take action. The action taken usually results in the non-exerciser spending a great deal of money for one or two visits to the club. Average cost per visit? Probably about $300.00! The truth is that while clubs say that they will help the new member get started, it is very difficult. If a club as 2,000 or more members and sells around 100 – 150 new memberships per month, it is obvious that it not feasible for them to really spend much time or effort in helping a new member to become a regular exerciser.

Still other people ask about buying home exercise equipment. It’s a great theory! “Work out at home! Whoo hoo”! The truth is that as with a health club membership, the only good deal for home exercise equipment is for people who are already regular exercisers. It is a bad idea for people who haven’t exercised in a long time (or may not have EVER exercised). Yes, there are plenty of infomercials that claim to be the best way to go for someone who wants to exercise. The problem is that for most non-exercisers the wonderful new piece of exercise apparatus all too frequently simply ends up as a cool looking clothes horse!

When someone joins a health club or buys a new piece of exercise equipment, no spontaneous change occurs. Use good judgment. If you want to start an exercise program and are not sure how to proceed, please feel free to e-mail me at Geoff@GeoffHampton.org and I’ll be happy to give you some great ideas!