Tips to start a new workout routine

Wed., Sept. 7, 2005

Andrea Renee Wyatt King Features Syndicate

Q: As a beginner to exercise on my own (I have done group exercise classes and DVDs at home), I am a little confused as to where to start. There’s so much information online that I decided to find an exercise routine on the Internet. I have the workout from online, but I’m not sure if it is right for me. How do I know if this workout would be right for me?

A: Starting a new exercise program can lead to many questions. What? How? When? and Why? are common concerns most exercise novices experience.

Let’s back up a few steps to find out if the program you found the Internet will help you reach your fitness goals. Here are a few steps often skipped before actually beginning to exercise.

• Consult your physician. Meet with your physician and tell him or her that you are planning to begin an exercise program. Discuss any current medical conditions and medications you are taking, and ask if there would be any contraindications while exercising. Taking this safety precaution can put you on the right path to reaching your goals.

• Establish your exercise goals. For example: to lose weight and help lower my blood pressure by exercising for 30 minutes a day, three days a week. Setting goals can help you know WHY you are choosing certain exercises. Plus, it can help you know if you are meeting your goals because you have a measure to assess them.

• Identify your current level of fitness. It is important to begin where you are, and not where you want to be. If you want to be able to walk 3 miles in 45 minutes, but, as of today, walking for five minutes is a challenge, then you must begin walking for five minutes until you can progress. There is no rush. Allow your body to adapt to the new stresses you place on it, and you will begin to see your body respond.

• Recognize your fitness experience. Although you may have been active your whole life, walking on a treadmill or using weight machines may be a new experience. If this is the case, understand that part of starting an exercise program is teaching yourself and your body new movements, and that it may take a few sessions to get adjusted. This also may require the help of a fitness professional, who can teach you how to exercise properly without risk of injury.

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