| So you're overweight, "fat"--to be honest--and you | | | | centuries.Easy-going exercise such as walking |
| want to start exercising. Before you take off like an | | | | continues to stave off heart disease, osteoporosis, high |
| overlarge airplane and start preparing for the Olympics | | | | cholesterol and many types of cancer, as well as |
| trials, stop right there. You may have it all figured out | | | | taking care of most of your belly flab. It doesn't sound |
| by now, after checking with your friends, the media | | | | like much, but it will really tighten your whole body up. |
| and finally that fickle fiend known as the bathroom | | | | Your legs will especially benefit, and your buns will |
| mirror, that a regular exercise program is the only way | | | | automatically grow firmer as you stroll. Not to mention |
| to fly when it comes to permanent weight loss. That | | | | that the worst investment you need to make is a pair |
| entails working out or otherwise flexing your physical | | | | of comfy, sturdy sensible shoes, preferably made of |
| and psychological muscles on a regular basis, perhaps | | | | leather or canvas with rubber soles. |
| three times a week, or maybe even once per day.But | | | | You may think that yoga is some uncomfortable form |
| therein lies the rub. How do you get started? How | | | | of Eastern self-punishment and mysticism, but it's not. |
| often do you exercise? Most importantly, if you've | | | | Yoga is great for toning your body, as it's extremely |
| been very sedate or at least somewhat off your feet | | | | gentle when done correctly. It combines traditional |
| for awhile, what's the safest way to begin an | | | | breathing and relaxation techniques with simple |
| effective, weight-loss centered exercise | | | | stretching. It's good to use yoga during a weight-loss |
| program?Beginning a Righteous | | | | program when you're sedentary, as it's very easy on |
| Program--RealisticallyFirst of all, follow the old saw | | | | your body, you don't have to repeat the same |
| about consulting with your doctor. Don't start thinking | | | | exercises every day, and it requires a minimal time |
| you can just begin running around the block. That's | | | | commitment. Yoga can be used in conjunction with a |
| why the medical profession exists, to advise and keep | | | | more rigorous exercise program to help maintain your |
| you safe. You doctor will recommend specific types | | | | overall state of fitness. "Yoga doesn't take over your |
| of exercise tailored to fit your own individual lifestyle, | | | | life, it enhances it," says Alice Cristensen, founder and |
| personal health needs and concerns. But you don't | | | | executive director of the American Yoga |
| need to make it entirely clinical when you begin an | | | | Association.Continuing Your Program--Goals and |
| exercise program.Most importantly, you need to pick | | | | MotivationOkay, so you've gotten started, but what |
| something you're going to stick with. What do you like | | | | does all this have to do with watching your weight? To |
| in the way of sports? If you're people-oriented, you | | | | keep on schedule with this as your original goal, you |
| should look into joining a team sports program of some | | | | also have to keep that commitment to lose enough |
| kind in your area, one created for adult participation. | | | | poundage to be a healthy, happy and physically fit |
| You can look for a local softball league, take a | | | | person.First of all, you have to figure out exactly what |
| beginning aerobics class at a fitness center, or play | | | | you're expecting to accomplish. Are you looking for |
| regular games of basketball at a gym with your | | | | optimal health, or do you really want to fit into slinky |
| buddies. And then there's golf, the perennial favorite of | | | | clothes better? Either way, you're going to have to set |
| people who want to perform fun and interesting mild | | | | goals and try to attain them as you go. It helps to |
| exercise. All you have to do is motivate yourself and | | | | clearly keep in mind what you're aiming for, and it helps |
| perhaps some friends to get started. Or if you're a | | | | to visualize yourself at your ideal weight several times |
| loner, you can take up an individualized sport such as | | | | a day. This image impresses itself upon your |
| bicycle touring, which can also be done in small groups, | | | | subconscious and inwardly motivates you to continue |
| or laps swimming at your community pool.And if you | | | | your program with a bulldog's sheer tenacity and |
| like to be around a humungous amount of people, how | | | | motivation. You want that; whatever happens, you |
| about mall-walking, one of the latest in adult and family | | | | don't want to stress out and quit. Try looking at old |
| mild fitness trends, or the more traditional act of | | | | photographs of yourself at your ideal weight and |
| partner dancing, which you can do at all kinds of | | | | picturing realistically what you'll look like when you're |
| gathering places such as local taverns, senior centers, | | | | back there again. Don't expect the Fountain of Youth, |
| community halls and social clubs. There's an almost | | | | but you'd be shocked how close you can get to your |
| infinite number of places you can go and groups you | | | | mental picture, and how good you're going to feel as |
| can join. Just pick one, and remember to start out with | | | | you move your body, eat less liberally and become fit |
| a breezy, fun and easygoing attitude. You're not | | | | and not fat.Also, you should make a brief list of the |
| punishing yourself; you're picking up on a lifelong habit | | | | five major reasons you're embarking on an exercise |
| of moving your body for health purposes. You'll feel | | | | and weight-loss program. Do you want to bring down |
| better, look fitter and maybe meet new people while | | | | your blood pressure? Does being fat make you feel |
| you're dropping those needless extra pounds.But be | | | | too old? Do you want to attract someone new in your |
| realistic, and work with your doctor. You want to aim | | | | life? When you sit in your car, does your stomach |
| for something fun that you'll keep committing to doing | | | | practically turn the steering wheel? Make it a point to |
| regularly. If it's something you hate, perhaps such as | | | | carry this list with you wherever you go, and when |
| running on a track, climbing stairs or using what seems | | | | you get in the mood to quit and give up, whip it out and |
| to you to be boring exercise equipment, forget it! Don't | | | | read it aloud, saying to yourself that this is what you |
| spend all your money on something you can't keep | | | | really want.You must also remember to keep it simple |
| doing because you feel guilty, or think you have to | | | | when you're losing weight. In most cases, burning more |
| punish yourself into exercising. Be sure you like what | | | | calories than you ingest is the biggest concern. You |
| you're going to do before you get started. Simply | | | | have to expend approximately 3,500 calories to lose |
| walking around the block is a very inexpensive and | | | | one pound of adipose fat tissue. Water weight doesn't |
| potentially fun way to go from a sedentary state to a | | | | count, and that's what a lot of people lose at first. Also, |
| beginning new level of much better health and fitness. | | | | the important thing about exercise is that you can eat |
| You must start with something easy and simple if you | | | | almost normally and still lose the weight at a healthy |
| haven't been exercising for decades, and you should | | | | and reasonable pace. If you don't exercise and try to |
| gradually increase your level of activity as you feel | | | | lose weight, you'll be tempted to embark on a |
| comfortable with it. Move by inches, not by miles.Are | | | | starvation diet. This has been shown to make you lose |
| you a morning or an evening person? If you're the | | | | lean muscle mass instead of fat in most cases, and |
| former, plan to work out in the morning, and if you | | | | although you'll drop some pounds, they may be the |
| wake up later in the day, do your routine more near | | | | wrongest ones. Chances are that if you're unfit while |
| twilight. Also, as your doctor will tell you, start with a | | | | you're losing weight, you'll get physically tired, sleep less, |
| small window of time, perhaps only fifteen minutes at | | | | become overly emotional, and stress out and become |
| first, and slowly increase it every other day or so. In | | | | extremely irritable. It simply isn't healthy to do it that |
| order to achieve a higher level of fitness and to lose | | | | way, so you need at least a moderate exercise |
| weight, you must perform whatever exercise you | | | | program.Try keeping a journal of your progress every |
| choose at least three to four times a week. This is | | | | day, and consult with it when you want to know how |
| better at first than every day, as a rest may be | | | | far along you've come. You can also use it to gauge |
| needed between workouts to give your aching | | | | how you're doing, and whether or not you're losing |
| muscles a chance to soothe themselves and heal | | | | weight at a reasonable pace. Congratulate yourself |
| before you bravely saunter forth again or head back | | | | every time you ate the right thing, kept to your walking |
| merrily to the gym.Eventually, you can try exercising | | | | schedule, or didn't give in to temptation that day by |
| every single day, anywhere from twenty minutes to a | | | | making a brief note about it. Read the journal to inspire |
| full hour. But especially at first--and that may be for | | | | you about what you're doing whenever you feel the |
| several months--don't push yourself too hard. Don't go | | | | urge to let go.Meanwhile, as you chart your progress, |
| all out, and get frustrated because you can't keep it up. | | | | take the time to reward yourself for everything you're |
| You don't have to be a college athlete, and you can | | | | doing right. Ignore occasional slipups, and don't let them |
| seriously hurt your heart by pushing too hard or | | | | bother you. Move on and motivate yourself by going |
| overdoing it. Remember, you're doing this for fun, for | | | | to a movie, taking a break from work, going to the |
| health reasons and to feel good about yourself. Don't | | | | beach or whatever floats your boat. Don't reward |
| try to become an "athlete" unless you think that will be | | | | yourself with food, ever! Find other methods of loving |
| something you'll want to commit to on a much more | | | | life and use them. Treating yourself manifests your |
| rigorous schedule. Later!Easy Exercise | | | | brain's reward system and keeps you striving toward |
| Comes--NaturallyAmericans tend to think of exercise | | | | your goals.Don't forget to share any successes or |
| as more their duty than as a part of their culture, or | | | | failures with your friends and family. Tell them all about |
| "way of life." But it's a true lifestyle preference. | | | | how proud you are of the new lifestyle choices you're |
| Throughout the world, many forms of regular exercise | | | | making, and share in their enthusiasm. They want you |
| are taking hold of whole general populations. Take | | | | to be healthy and go on living, and so do you. But |
| walking, for example. In Europe, people are flocking to | | | | some of them may worry that you're starving yourself |
| their local well-developed public hiking trails, and there's | | | | or are in a state of denial. Reassure them, and |
| quite a few of those spread across the USA as well. | | | | proceed carefully with your healthy diet and exercise |
| Walking of a moderate type is called Volkssport in | | | | plans, while always knowing that it's exactly what you |
| Europe, and it's really been around for many | | | | need to do to look better, feel stronger and live longer. |