By Nicola Cucuiet* and Sylvia Klinger
It’s time to kick in the exercise part into this operation. I know that thinking about working out can be unappealing because of muscle cramps, muscle sores and all these little accidents that can occur when working out without the basic knowledge on how to prepare your body for this big and important change. Here are some tips to help you prepare yourself.
1.Find out your fitness level:
Test your aerobic fitness by doing a simple one-mile walk. Track your time and your heart rate at two different points during the walk: the middle and the end. Record your results.
To determine your muscular fitness, do as many repetitions of push-ups or pull-ups as you can. Pull-ups tend to be harder to perform than push-ups so take your current muscular fitness level into consideration.
See how flexible you are by sitting on the floor with your legs outstretched in front of you and try to reach your fingertips as far as you can toward your toes.
Determine your body composition by calculating your BMI (see Resources). BMI stands for Body Mass Index and it can provide you with an overall assessment of your fitness and health level. Measure your waist circumference around your bare abdomen and chart your measurements to later see your progress.
2. Create your own fitness program:
Are you starting a weight loss program for losing weight or preparing for a competition, or simply just making your body stronger, knowing what your fitness goals are can help you better track your progress. It is easy to think that you will exercise every day, but to keep you on track you will need to create your own fitness plan that can accommodate your every need.
3. Create a regular work out plan:
Plan at least three hours of regular moderate intensity aerobic activity a week. You will also need two hours of strength training a week. Thus you will have cardio workouts as well as muscle conditioning through out the week. If you are a beginner start working out at your own pace! Every day is a progress that gradually improves your range of motion, strength and resistance.
4. Incorporate activity into your daily routine:
Finding time to exercise can be a challenge! Thy to schedule your workout time as an important part of you work day. Treat it as you would any other business appointment . Take advantage of any minute you have stuck in traffic or at the office to sneak some squats or some crunches.
Having the same exercise program can eventually lead to boredom, this is why you have to try to incorporate different activities, like walking, swimming, hiking, and others you might be interested in! The key is to mix them up!
5. Chart your progress:
Monitor your progress in order to see your progress or to improve the areas that can be improved. Keeping a daily chart of your workouts help you stay motivated and create a healthy habit that last a lifetime! If you feel like you are loosing motivation try switching up your work out or try to incorporate a new kind of exercise. Working out with a friend, or group workouts like zumba or step aerobic can help you maintain you focus.
*Nicola Cucuiet – A masters degree student in Clinical and Community Nutrition student at University of Medicine and Pharmacy Targu Mures, Romania
