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10 Tips for Excercise Success
- For most healthy people embarking on a new exercise programme is a great way to get fit and reduce your biological age. However, if you are over forty years old or have a family history of poor health, it is a wise precaution to see your GP for a once-over. Once you are sure everything's in good working order, make an appointment with a personal trainer for a consultation. Most trainers will give you a free consultation and help you work out your fitness level and your body fat and take your circumference measurements. A good trainer will suggest the types of programmes that you could follow.
- Take it easy to begin with. It seems most people are so keen to make a difference that they overdo their first exercise session and end up with very sore muscles for several days. If you haven't exercised for a while get started with a few short walks of about 20 to 30 minutes, 3 days a week. You can increase your load by walking a bit further or a bit faster each time.
- Set some SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-scaled) and work towards them. They may be to do with weight, self-image, circumference measurements, physical capabilities (e.g. doing 20 press-ups), etc.
- Treat each workout as an appointment and put it in your diary at the start of every week.
- Keep a record of your workouts, making notes about what you did and for how long, how you felt and the improvements you have made.
- Persuade someone to work out with you. It will keep you honest.
- Make it a daily habit to ask yourself how you are making your lifestyle healthier and happier. For example: 'I am drinking sufficient water every day.' 'I am taking the stairs instead of the lift.' This reinforces your good feelings about yourself.
- Prepare for your workout the night before by packing your gym bag or, if you work out at home, laying out your workout clothes so you're ready to go.
- Eat good quality foods regularly throughout the day so you don't crash during your workout. See Nutrition and Lifestyle.
- Reward yourself! Treat yourself to a massage when you achieve your goals. Get a new outfit to celebrate your trimmer figure.
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