Check with your doctor to ensure safety before starting an exercise program. Do not engage in any activity that causes chest pain, excessive shortness or breath, dizziness, or lightheadedness.
Stop immediately if you experience any of these symptoms.
Wear comfortable clothes with sneakers or flat shoes with laces. It is important to wear a shoe with good support so that you can reduce the risk of orthopaedic problems.
Start slowly. It is recommended by the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine that people exercise most days of the week in an aerobic fashion. This type of exercise is repetitive in nature and uses multiple muscle groups. Examples of aerobic exercises include cycling, swimming, walking, elliptical machines, and step machines. Try to build up over time so that the exercise lasts 30 minutes. Do not forget to include a warm-up and cool-down consisting of about five minutes each.
It is important to remain well-hydrated during exercise. A good guideline is to drink eight ounces of water for every 20 minutes of exercise.
Make exercise a regular part of your healthy lifestyle and try to exercise at the same time of day so it becomes a habit.
Use caution when exercising right after meals, when it is very hot or humid, or if you don’t feel up to exercising.
Ask family and friends to join you to help keep you motivated. This also can help them to start or continue on a road to a healthy lifestyle.
Note your activities on a calendar or in a record book. Record the type of exercise, distance/amount of time, and how you felt during the activity. This will help you keep track of your progress.
Use a variety of exercise to keep up your interest. Try things such as yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates, or kickboxing. Join an exercise group, health club or the YMCA. Many churches and senior centers also offer exercise programs.
Look for chances to be more active during the day. Some examples would be walking the mall before shopping, parking your car farther away from your destination than necessary, choosing a flight of stairs over an escalator, or taking 10 to 15 minute walking breaks while watching TV or sitting for some other activity.
If there is a break in your exercise due to illness or other issues, remember that your body adapts to whatever level of exertion is put on it. You might have to restart at a slightly slower level than before the break. Use it or lose it!
Have fun!
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This information is provided by the Cleveland Clinic and is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition.This document was last reviewed on: 12/7/2004
