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5 Steps to Physical Wellness

1.     Find or Design a fitness program to accommodate your lifestyle.
        Think about why you want to start a fitness program.  Perhaps your doctor has recommended you start a fitness program to lose weight or to lower your cholesterol.   Maybe you have decided to prepare for a race or achieve a goal you have wanted to accomplish.  Consider the following three questions:  Do you have any limitations regarding exercise?  Do you suffer from low back pain/issues?  Do you struggle with controlling your weight?  Determining your goals will give you motivation and a clear understanding on what you would like to attain from this fitness program.   If you do not know  how or what activity you should try let Life’s 5 can get you started!

2.    Gather your exercise equipment.
    You will probably need athletic shoes.  Make sure they are designed for the activity you are going to perform.  Are you interested in a yoga or Pilates class?  You may need a mat and towel.  Does biking  sound intriguing?  Do you have a bike?  Maybe karate, walking, tennis, swimming, rollerblading, or golfing would be your interest.  Where can they be done and what do you need to participate?     

3.    Get Started.
    Once you have determined why are starting, increasing or improving your fitness routine, now you must begin.  Always remember to start slow and gradually work up to your level.  For example: If  your goal is to walk one mile, start with ¼ mile.  The next week add ¼ mile more and so on until you  have reached your goal.  Then determine if you want to increase your goal or add to your achievement.  Say you would like to run in a marathon.  Start with a 5k, work up to a ½ marathon and finally achieve your goal with crossing the finish line of a full marathon.  Set realistic goals.   Don’t believe you can run a marathon in a month if you have never walked a mile before.  You will get there.  Don’t give up!

4.    Evaluate your success.
    Is this routine everything you have hoped for?  Are you accomplishing the goals you have set for yourself?  Is your fitness routine fun?  Is the program you have chosen accommodating to your lifestyle?  Are you bored with your activity?  Are you seeing no results?  Do you need other activities added to reach your target?  There is nothing wrong or reprehensible for thinking this routine is not  what you had expected.  You made an effort to try and now decided it wasn’t working.  That’s okay as long as you move on and seek another form of exercise.  

5.    Stay Motivated.
        Talk to your friends.  Ask how they keep their spirits up and going.  Perhaps you would want to join a club or team.  Change up your routine.  Doing the same thing everyday can get monotonous and dull.   For the ultimate fitness routine you should have resistance training (weights – muscle burns fat), cardio (increase your heart rate), and always stretch at the beginning and end of your workout.  Yoga or Pilates is also a great alternative exercise.