Half of January in the New Year is already behind us. Lets get off the couch making lofty resolutions... Time for Action :-) A sedentary lifestyle is associated with a high risk of health complications including obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. But the good news is, that you can get in shape after being sedentary by changing your daily habits, eating healthier to improve your energy level and gradually adding exercise into your weekly, and then daily, routine. Step 1 Set a realistic goal for getting in shape. Write your goal down and keep track of your progress to stay motivated. A realistic goal might be to lose 1 pound per week by eating healthier foods while also exercising for 20 to 30 minutes a day. Step 2 Go for a 30-minute walk everyday. Bring your portable music player to groove to some tunes as you walk. Make sure you warm up and stretch before your walk to get your body ready for intense movement. Step 3 Swap your walk for a light to moderate jog at least twice a week. Alternate a 10-minute walk with a five-minute jog until you can jog the full length of your workout. Warm up, stretch and cool down for each workout to prevent injury and keep your muscles flexible. Step 4 Add strength training exercises once or twice a week for 20 to 30 minutes per workout. Diversify your workouts with light weight training to strengthen and tone your muscles while also burning calories. Use dumbbells to work your arm muscles and to hold while doing squats or lunges. Muscle helps to burn fat and keep your body in shape. Step 5 Watch less television each day and replace that time with physical activity. Step 6 Replace unhealthy foods in your diet with fresh fruits and whole grains. As you increase your activity level, you will also need energy from food. Choose fresh produce and whole grains, which are low in calories and nutrient-rich to give you energy throughout the day. Limit your saturated fat intake from fatty meats and fried food as well to optimize your fitness efforts. Warnings Check with your health-care provider before beginning an exercise program for the first time or if you have been away from fitness programs for a while, or if you have any chronic health issues.
Posted on: Sat, 17 Jan 2015 11:32:52 +0000
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