How to Start Exercising at Any Age and Weight
Starting a New Exercise Habit Phase 1
How many times have you been all excited to start a new workout so you jump all in and quickly lose your enthusiasm because it was so hard that it was just not fun. You might have tried a few times but each time left you sore and exhausted so one day you just stopped.
I have heard so many people say that they hate to exercise and that is exactly why. Moving your body and developing YOUR exercise habit must happen in stages.
When you were a baby, you didn't just get up and start running one day. It happened in stages: creeping, crawling, standing holding on to something, standing on your own and then taking those first few steps. What if you had decided that it was just too hard after you fell so many times and quit?
Of course you didn't decide to just keep crawling- walking is the natural progression. Let's work on creating that same attitude with YOUR new exercise habit.
I am creating a series of blog posts to help you get started with moving your body at ANY age and any weight. This is all about helping you feel better and increase ease of movement to make everyday activities easier.
Balance and Beginner Cardio Workout
Phase 1 is all about developing balance and starting a cardio routine.
Balance and stability are the cornerstones of any fitness
program. We need to make sure our bodies are prepared for more intensive
movement by increasing range of movement and getting our muscles and joints accustomed
to moving in different directions.
Cardio is important for heart health and burns calories
however, to make the biggest health impact we need to work on building lean
muscle mass. Lean muscle is metabolically active where fat is not which means
the more lean, long muscles you build the more calories you will burn even when
not exercising. Also, increasing your lean muscles and focusing on functional
movement will make everything in your life a little easier including weight
loss.
Your workouts for Phase 1
25 Minute
FUNCTIONAL Fitness Bodyweight Strength and Mobility Workout for Women
Paula B. Fitness
This is a great, slow motion workout that works on
functionality and balance. Have a chair
ready to help you with your balance. She doesn’t use one in the video, but I
feel like it is needed just in case. Also, you will probably need to modify the
very last exercise. It is a deep squat that I feel might be a little too
challenging if you are just getting started. Instead of the deep squat do a
chair squat- when she lowers all the way to the ground, you will just lower to
the edge of a chair and hover just above (try not to sit on it). When she comes
back up, raise to standing with her trying to not use your hands.
If you find any of the exercises too challenging modify in a
way that feels better for your body. If
a leg raise is too high for you, raise as high as you can. The important thing
is to not give up and stop moving. Each time you try an exercise it will get
easier.
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Complete this work out 3 times this week on
alternating days such as Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Denise Austin: Fat-Blasting Cardio Walking Workout-
Beginner
This is a great 15-minute, one mile easy walk that
incorporates some light resistance training. As always, work at your level. If
you need to slow modify the move to something easier or walk in place until you
are ready to speed it up again. Just keep moving and each time will get a little
easier.
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Complete this work out 3 times this week on
opposite days of the other workout (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday). It is fast
and convenient. You can even do it in your pajamas- go ahead, no one is going
to see you. Just do it.
I
I That is it for Phase 1- you can do this!! It will only take a few minutes each day and you will feel great about yourself for taking these first steps.
Here is a phrase to keep in mind for this week:
"To have something you have never had,
You have to be willing to do something you have never done"
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