Walk Your Way to Good Health



Ready to start a fitness program?

If you're thinking about starting a fitness program, that's great. Physical activity can reduce your risk of chronic disease, improve your balance and coordination, help you lose weight and can even improve your sleep habits and self-esteem. If you find the prospect of taking on yet another project a bit overwhelming, you may find it helpful to create a plan and divide the work into manageable pieces.

|Assess your fitness level |

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The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that you start by assessing and recording your baseline fitness scores. It is important to record measurements of your aerobic fitness, muscular fitness, flexibility and body composition. Recording these numbers gives you benchmarks against which to measure your progress. Retest yourself six weeks after you start your program and then again every three to six months. Using these numbers, you can direct more energy into areas in which you don't see satisfactory improvement.

|Design your program |

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Fitness generally includes four components aerobic capacity, strength, and flexibility and weight control. The fourth component weight control may be achieved through your exercise program and sensible eating.

Consider your fitness goals

When it comes to fitness, one size definitely doesn't fit all. Determine what your goals are. Are you starting a fitness program to help lose weight? Or do you have another motivation, such as preparing for a 5K race? Having clear goals in mind can help you gauge your progress. Also consider your strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes. Which activities and sports do you really enjoy?

Plan a logical progression of activity

If you have unstable joints from injury or arthritis or you're in a weakened condition for some other reason, your exercise program may need to be guided at first by a physical therapist. This program should be designed to gradually improve your range of motion, strength and endurance. If you don't have a specific injury or condition but are just beginning regular activity or exercise, starting at a low level and progressing slowly is important.

Plan to include different activities

Doing different activities (cross-training) reduces boredom and helps you stick with the program. It also reduces your chances of injuring or overusing one specific muscle or joint. Plan to alternate among exercises and activities that emphasize different parts of your body.

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