Gretchen Scalpi, RDN

Most people know that exercise is essential for good health.  The trouble is, even though modest exercise is not very difficult for most, it can be hard to get started.  To have success with exercise, you need to make changes in your routine and lifestyle.  Here are a few tips that may help you get over the tough part of merely getting started.

1. Examine your reasons and motivation for doing exercise.  Do you have health concerns?  Are you looking to feel better or have more energy?  Did your doctor (or someone else) tell you to start exercising?  The more compelling your reasons are, and the more you desire the change, the greater your likelihood of success. Exercising because someone else says you should may lead to feelings of resentment.
2. Set achievable goals that include both short-term and long-term goals.  Make sure those goals are SMART:  Specific, measurable, action oriented, realistic and time oriented.  A goal such as “I will start exercising more this week” is not specific enough to get you in action.  A SMART goal may sound something like this:  “I will start my exercise by walking for 15 minutes when I get home from work, 3 times weekly, for the next two weeks.”
3. Consider what barriers might get in the way of your exercise plan.  A common barrier for many is trying to fit exercise into a busy schedule, or dealing with unexpected events that come up.  Think about what things could derail your intentions, then devise a plan for how you will overcome that specific barrier.  If not being able to find time to exercise is your barrier, try scheduling yourself for a specific day and time.  Do you have a day-planner?  Try writing down your exercise time on the planner.

The quickest way to derail an exercise plan before you have really gotten underway is to start out with exercise that is too ambitious or too lengthy.   Select an activity you know you can do, and begin that activity for a short duration of 15-20 minutes.  You can always increase your exercise time as you go along.  Start slowly and keep it simple!

Tags: exercise, exercising, lose weight