The most common problem we see with people beginning an exercise program is lack of planning; which added to enthusiasm, can be a dangerous combination. Individuals excited about a new exercise program, start out too fast and too hard. This combination can result in injury and ultimately most will “fall off the wagon.”
Be sure to consider an exercise program that takes into account both your work and life schedules. Set up a plan for each week that includes time for essentials: stretching, warm-up, and cool down, cross training and rest. Exercising with a partner encourages accountability. Be sure to choose someone of the same fitness level to avoid pushing yourself beyond an appropriately challenging level.
Many people, in this day and time, sit in front of a computer all day. Their muscles tighten up, they attempt to fit in exercise amongst their busy schedules and skip those essentials of an exercise routine. A general guideline is stretching and a slow pace of the exercise for 5 to 10 minutes to warm-up before the activity and 10 to 15 minutes to cool down at the end of the activity. Include in your weekly plan some type of cross-training. For example, if you choose to walk or run several days a week, take a day out to swim, ride a bike or take a yoga class. Varying your exercise will keep you from injuries that are a result of repetitive activity that can place too much strain on one particular group of muscles. Strength training is also a key component of an exercise program that can be added to a weekly plan to vary your routine. When executed properly, strength training can protect joints from injury. Core strength (abdominal, back, hip and buttock muscles) is also essential to consider when strength training as a means for injury prevention. Be careful not to be too zealous and over-do. This can result in recurrent injuries, the inability to heal after injury, muscle aches, fatigue, and lack of energy.
Rest must be part of a weekly exercise plan. While you sleep, your body is busy healing and repairing the breakdown that occurs on a daily basis, so adequate time for sleep (7 to 8 hours) is critical when attempting to start an exercise program. If you wake up stiff or sore the morning after exercising the day before, consider spending more time stretching, warming up and cooling down and consider taking a day off. Overall, make sure to build in a rest day at least one day each week.
Don’t forget the appropriate fuel for your body. Hydration is key. It is the lubrication for the muscles and joints. Hydration is not just drinking during exercise, but more importantly, drinking enough water on a day to day basis. A general guideline is 8, 8 ounce glasses of water per day and 4 ounces for every 15 minutes of exercise. Sports drinks work may be used intermittently for electrolyte replacement during exercise, but there is no substitute for the real thing…water. In addition to hydration, a diet rich in complex carbohydrates and low in fat will give you the energy to exercise. Your diet should also contain adequate protein and iron. Make sure you have proper fueling before you start your exercise.
With a little forethought, these guidelines are easy to implement and will ensure the development of an exercise program that you can stick with.
