Starting (and sticking to) an exercise program

by Preston Skinner, Exercise Physiologist

Talk to Your Doctor About Exercise
Choose Activities You Enjoy
How Much Exercise Do You Need?
Everyday Activities Count As Exercise
Schedule An Exercise Appointment on Your Calendar
Drink Plenty of Fluid
Listen to Your Body
Reward Yourself

You may be motivated to start a new exercise regime. But how can you start a program and stick to it? Let's examine a few quick tips to get you moving:

Talk to Your Doctor About Exercise

Speak with your doctor before starting an exercise program. This helps ensure your safety based on your current health status. Light activity, such as walking, is safe for most people. But health experts suggest speaking to your doctor before starting an exercise program if you have heart disease, difficulty breathing, leg pain, diabetes, or kidney disease. Your doctor can also help you explore activities that are right for you as you begin your exercise journey.

Choose Activities You Enjoy

If you are beginning an exercise program, choose an activity you truly enjoy. Doing so will help boost your confidence and increase the likelihood of sticking with your exercise program. Also, exercise doesn't have to occur in a gym. Walking, chair exercises, and dancing are great exercises that don't involve a gym.

How Much Exercise Do You Need?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults get 150 minutes of moderate physical activity, as well as two days of muscle strengthening activity, each week. For many people, this can be discouraging, especially if it's been a while since regular exercise was a part of their daily routine. This may lead us to think, “If I can't complete the recommended amount of exercise, why bother exercising at all?” Well, it's time to throw away the “all or nothing” attitude and start an exercise program that you feel comfortable doing.

Perhaps you want to begin by walking around the dining room table or walking to the mailbox. If walking is challenging, maybe chair exercises are for you. Even if you can only do a few minutes of exercise at a time, if you stick with it, eventually you will build up your endurance and be able to go for longer periods of time.

Research shows that doing small bursts of physical activity has the same health benefits as one long session. So, if you prefer to do 3-10 minute exercise sessions instead of one 30-minute session, go for it! In a nutshell, it's best to do some physical activity instead of none at all.

Everyday Activities Count as Exercise

Did you know that incorporating small bits of activity into your day can increase your physical fitness? Simple things like housecleaning, yardwork, parking further away from the store, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator, all count as activity. Think about your daily schedule. What small activities can you add to your day to increase the amount of activity you get?

Schedule an Exercise Appointment on Your Calendar

By scheduling physical activity into your day, you are more likely to have the time to plan for it and complete it. Is the morning hour before work the only time you can exercise? If so, then scheduling it for this time would increase the likelihood of doing the activity. Once exercise is on your calendar, you can plan the appropriate time to wake up, and/or lay out your exercise clothes.

Drink Plenty of Fluid

Drinking fluids is important to prevent dehydration. When our bodies are dehydrated, we don't feel well and usually have little desire for exercise. If you have already had weight loss surgery, sipping fluids regularly during exercise and throughout the day is essential. Proper hydration helps your body recover from your exercise session and motivates you to continue. If you are preparing for weight loss surgery, practice makes perfect. Sip fluids constantly throughout the day, except while eating meals. Dehydration is the most common reason weight loss surgery patients are readmitted to the hospital, so staying hydrated can also keep you out of the hospital!

Listen to Your Body

We have all heard the saying "No Pain, No Gain." This saying could not be further from the truth. Pain is not a way to measure the success of a workout. It is a warning sign that you may be overdoing it. Listen to your body. If you are feeling excessive pain, fatigue, or exhaustion, then take some time to rest; you will feel more energized to continue again the next day.

Reward Yourself

If you are doing something good for yourself, do not hesitate to reward yourself for it! Non-food items are the best rewards when trying to lose or maintain weight. Taking a hot bath, buying a new book, or listening to nature sounds can all be rewards. Think about how you want to reward yourself for a job well done.

Preston Skinner is an exercise physiologist in the Horizon Health Rehabilitation Services Department. While this article was initially intended for patients at the Horizon Health Center for Weight Management, it can be helpful to non-patients as well.