Introduction
If you’ve been meaning to get into shape, but have never had the motivation to start, then here’s your guide. With a little planning and the right attitude, you can be on your way to becoming more fit and healthy in no time.
Why exercise?
Exercise is good for your body, and it’s also good for your mind. You probably don’t need convincing that exercise can be a useful tool to help you lose weight and stay fit in the short term, but there are other benefits that go beyond just the physical improvements you see or feel.
Exercise has been shown to help with sleep quality, focus at work, stress levels and mood. It can even improve long-term memory function! All these things make it easier to live a healthy lifestyle overall—and if we ever do get sick (and we all do), exercise helps us recover faster when we do fall ill.
In addition to these mental health benefits—which are incredibly important in their own right—exercise is also linked with longer life expectancy: A recent study found that people who exercised regularly were 52% more likely to live past 70 than those who didn’t work out much at all
Common types of exercise
There are many types of exercise.
- Cardiovascular exercise is any activity that gets your heart pumping faster, like running or cycling. It’s the best way to burn fat and improve your health. Studies show that it can also help you live longer and ward off diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
- Strength training builds muscle strength by using resistance—for example, through free weights (barbells), weight machines or bodyweight exercises like push-ups and squats. This type of exercise may help protect against falls as we get older by helping us maintain balance and coordination as we age. You’ll need a gym membership for this kind of workout if you’re serious about getting results fast!
- Flexibility training helps lengthen muscles so they feel less stiff after sitting all day at work or school—especially important for preventing injury during stretching activities like yoga class! Stretching should be done at least once per week regardless of what other activities are included in your fitness routine because it improves blood flow to vital organs such as the heart while also reducing stress levels throughout the body by helping nervous system function more effectively.”
How to get started
The first step to getting started is to make sure you’re doing it right. Here are some tips for getting started:
- Start small
- Set an achievable goal
- Have the right equipment and clothing on hand
- Make sure you have enough time to exercise
Sample exercise program
The first week of your exercise program will be the hardest, because you’ll be learning how to do new things. You can think of this as a “test run” for what’s to come. If it turns out that you don’t like some exercises or have trouble getting them done, then take note and try to find alternatives that fit better with your lifestyle. If an exercise is too hard or painful, feel free to skip it next time—but if an exercise doesn’t work out for you at all, don’t worry about trying it again later on in the program (or not at all).
For example: Let’s say you are supposed to do 50 sit-ups per day for 7 days straight; after 4 days of doing 25 sit-ups a day (4 x 5 = 20), the pain in your lower back becomes unbearable and so instead of doing 10 more days worth of 25 sit ups each day (150 total sit ups), just stop there at 120 total sit ups (10 x 12 = 120) instead.”
A few tips for beginners
- Start slow. When you begin a new exercise regimen, it’s important to begin at an easy pace and gradually build up over time. If you’re brand new to working out, try starting with about five minutes of walking and slowly increasing that amount each week until you reach the amount of exercise recommended by your doctor (most people can safely get by on 30 minutes per day).
- Have a goal in mind. Whether it’s losing weight or getting stronger for your favorite sport, having specific goals helps keep you motivated during workouts and gives them meaning beyond just being healthy or fit.
- Be realistic about what types of exercises will work best for your body type and lifestyle situation; if possible, find someone who has similar fitness goals as yours and ask them what they do! This is one way that finding an exercise buddy can really help beginners stay motivated over time – because when things get tough (and they will), having someone else there who understands exactly how hard things can be makes all the difference between giving up entirely versus forging ahead despite being tired/hungry/stressed out etcetera etcetera…
How to stay motivated
- Don’t overdo it. The most common mistake new exercisers make is trying too hard, too fast. You want to challenge yourself, but you don’t want to push yourself so far that you get injured or burned out.
- Don’t compare yourself to others. There’s no “right” way for everyone to work out—and there’s no need for you to compare your progress with anyone else’s!
- Keep your mind focused on the task at hand. If thoughts start encroaching on your workout time (What am I going to have for lunch? How will my boss react when she sees this report?), try visualizing something pleasant in your head: a favorite place or person; a relaxing scene from nature; whatever helps keep those negative thoughts at bay while still keeping you engaged in what they’re doing.* Reward yourself after each session of exercise: whether it’s with a snack or an hour off the treadmill, do something nice for yourself as soon as possible after each workout session.* Stay positive and keep trying! Remember that making changes take time – even small ones are worth celebrating!
Conclusion
If you’ve been thinking about starting to exercise or just want some ideas for how to get started, this guide is for you! We discussed the benefits of exercise and how it can help you in your everyday life. We also talked about common types of exercise (from walking to weightlifting) as well as how much time you should spend exercising each day. Finally, we provided a sample exercise program with exercises that anyone can do anywhere (no gym required!). If you follow these steps every day for one week—and keep going after that—we promise your body will thank you later on down the road!
