Getting Back into Exercise!

You have found Heath for Life's new blog, Restoring Health, where you will find relevant and useful content teaching you how to take small steps to health, wellness and fitness. No matter where you are on the health continuum, there's always something more to learn or do to restore a higher quality of health!

Today we are going to talk about getting back into exercise after taking a break or even starting for the first time ever. If you aren't accustom to working out, any movement is better than nothing! It's important to remember that small, consistent efforts are going to become habits that stick. If you start out right into a workout program that is too difficult, it's easy to get discouraged and quit. Sometimes just the thought of starting to exercise can be overwhelming and intimidating. But little efforts can add up to big dividends when it comes to your health.  Mayoclinic.org editors give this advice in their 2020 article Fitness Program: 5 Steps to Get Started, "Start slowly and build up gradually".

                                               

But where to start? Here are 5 tips that will give you a solid foundation to start a lifelong habit of healthful exercise!

#1 - Build movement into your daily life. Look for ways to move just a little bit more each day. Take the stairs, park in the furthest row or walk instead of drive. Set an alarm to get up from your desk a few times a day and walk laps around your office or get in a few flights of stairs. Every little bit helps so look for ways to move more.

#2 - Start with 20-30 mins 2 or 3 times per week.  You don't have to spend hours at the gym to see results. Often doing too much too quickly can lead to injury or burnout. A little bit can go a long way when you first start working out. Ease into your new habit in order to avoid problems early on.

#3 - Find something YOU like to do. Your neighbor is a runner? Your friend goes to Crossfit? That's fantastic, but you need to find what works for YOU! Choosing an exercise that you enjoy will lead to long-term sustainability and that is key. If you dread the exercise that you are "supposed" to be doing, you won't stick with it for long. So try a few different things and see what sticks! You might be surprised at what you like. 

#4 - Schedule your workout time and don't skip it! Having a consistent, reliable scheduled time to exercise will eliminate half the battle when trying to get your workout done.  It's too easy to forget or skip it when the time constantly changes. Build the time into your schedule and keep the appointment!

#5 - Find a buddy. We all need accountability and everything is more fun with a friend, especially exercise! Hit up your spouse, friend or sister to go for a walk or meet you at the gym. Or maybe you join a gym and meet some new friends there that can help you be motivated to go back. It's always easier to get out the door to exercise when you know that someone is waiting for you to show up. 

"Regular exercise has been shown to improve your health significantly" says Arlene Semeco, (MS, RD) in her article How to Start Exercising: A Beginner's Guide to Working Out. We here at Health for Life agree that regular exercise is an important part of a healthful life.  It doesn't matter where you are, it only matters that you start! 

Resources

• How to Start Working Out if You've Never Exercised Before
• Fitness Program: How to Get Started
• How to Start Exercising: A Beginner's Guide to Working Out
• 5 Strategies to Get Into a Workout Routine

DISCLAIMER:  This is for a class assignment; it is not a real blog.