If you’re just getting started on increasing your fitness levels, that first step out the door can be difficult. What to do, where to go, how long should I do it? Should it hurt this much?
I’m in the middle of my own battle to lose 115 pounds, so I know how it feels to be extremely overweight, with absolutely no foundation to build on. You don’t have to become a total gym rat in order to lose the weight and get fit; I’ve lost sisty-one pounds so far, doing mostly just walking for my exercise.
Be open-minded to any form of exercise that you come across. You never know what you might like unless you try it, and if you try something and you absolutely hate it, don’t do it. Sometimes a form of exercise will simply be out of your scope of ability at the moment, and will feel so unpleasant you’d rather do anything but “it.” Listen to your desires and try something else. Let go of the “shoulds” and enjoy the freedom of exploration. My own rule for exercise is if it’s so hard that I’m not taking any pleasure in it and I have a “gut it out” mentality, I chuck it and do something I completely enjoy.
The simplest way to start is to head out your front door and walk for ten minutes, then turn around and come back. When I first started exercising at almost 300 pounds, I thought that walking, quite possibly, was going to kill me. Now I walk about six to nine miles every single day and I love it more than I could ever put into words.
Some tips to get you started:
1. Live by this rule: “If something I’m doing is making me feel pressured or angry or burdened its out.” Follow this rule and you’ll find yourself having a playful attitude toward the whole weight loss/exercise “thang.” The simple truth is if you’re feeling pushed into a corner by something you’re doing, you won’t keep it up. Get rid of it and move on. Be willing to change it up constantly, as you change and grow as a person.
2. Check out beginning yoga DVDs. They’re a great way to get started at exercise and will help to build some confidence and a strong foundation to your new exercise program.
3. Exercise every single day, without fail. I’m not talking about “organized” exercise here. Keep your eyes open for opportunities to jump in and do something physical every single day. Make it a part of your day, a habit that’s unbreakable. When you go shopping, park farther away from the front door, when you go into a tall building, take the stairs, not the elevator, walk three days a week for several miles per day, dance with your kids for ten minutes two days a week ... find a way to incorporate doing fun things into your life. Make it a daily thing.
4. Try hiking. It sounds so “sporty” and “athletic,” doesn’t it? You can hike on the flats for several miles or attempt some hills, either way; you’re outside, seeing new things. Take some pictures, soak up the sunshine and enjoy being out in life!
5. If you’re uncomfortable going outside for exercise at first, no worries. Buy a few exercise DVD s and get yourself set up with a journal. Try a number of DVDs, pushing yourself just a LITTLE more than you want to, and when you feel you’re worn out, stop the DVD and note how long you were able to exercise in your journal. Make it your goal to get a littler further every day. Take your time, this isn’t a race.
Begin to see yourself as a person who likes to move. Even washing dishes burns more calories than sitting on the couch watching TV. Doing regular exercise puts a damper on your appetite, making it so much easier to stick to a healthy eating program. Don’t let anyone tell you that you have to push it hard and sweat buckets in order for the exercise to do something good for your body. Just get going and your body will respond. It truly is just science: calories in vs. calories out.
