If you decide that getting more exercise is a good idea, you'll need to figure out what you can do and how long you can do it. I'm not talking about what you did when you were at the top of your game. What I'm talking about is what you can do now. I'll give you an example.
I wasn't fat or heavy at all when I was in college. I used to run three miles every day without fail, but when I got a job, I just didn't have time for it anymore. With some time and a lot of junk food, I gained more than 60 pounds since I was younger. Then, for no reason at all, I decided to start running again. I bought a cheap pair of running shoes and went to the high school track near my house. Many different kinds of people were walking, running, and playing soccer. I saw some people in high school and some women and men who were over 60 or 70 years old. I thought, "This is great, I have 40 more years of jogging ahead of me."
I remembered that I liked to stretch before the three-mile joy ride, so I stretched my thighs, calves, and any other leg muscles I could think of. I was ready to go, and I couldn't wait to get the "runner's high" that I used to feel every day.
The first ten steps were a little bit hard, which was to be expected. I hadn't tried to run in 7 years (and 60 pounds). I told myself, "But I only have to run twelve laps." That's about 3 miles.
I got off to a good start, but by the halfway point, I had slowed down a lot and was having trouble breathing. I don't remember it being like this. What was happening? I was afraid I would pass out right here on the track, and the older runners would laugh as they passed me one by one. I wasn't going to let that happen.
I couldn't run or breathe very well, so I decided to start limping. It didn't matter which leg I picked as long as it was always the same. I limped slowly onto the grass in the middle of the track and pretended to look at my leg to see how bad it was hurt. I was actually blowing my nose very hard.
A couple of people stopped to see if I was okay. I could only think, "Damn, I pulled the same muscle six months ago." I'm glad they didn't ask me what muscle. Then I massaged my whole leg, putting most of my attention on my left ankle. I was up and limping again in five minutes, but this time I went straight to my car.
Even though I looked like I was limping, I was still in a bad mood. I hadn't even run one lousy lap. I jumped in my car and sped off. I couldn't go home right away because I had to sort through all of my painful thoughts first. Instead, I went to 7-Eleven, the place where I felt most at home. I don't remember what I ate that day, but I didn't think the clerk was laughing at me like I thought the other runners had been back at the track. In fact, no one really laughed at me that day, but they might have if I hadn't been such a good actor. And since I knew they could have laughed at me, I ate like a king and queen put together to get rid of the thought that they had laughed at me. I wanted a hug that day, but I might have needed therapy instead.
The story shows that you should exercise at the level of skill you have now. If you haven't worked out in five years, you can't expect to pick up right where you left off. Try some new things to see what your body can do right now.
I'll also sell you the idea that you should start small and work up to bigger routines as you get ready. If you decide walking is your favourite way to work out, don't try to walk 10 miles on your first day. You can easily start by walking around the block every day for a week. Next, you can try adding a few more blocks to your walk. You'll add even more blocks the next week, and in about six months, you might be walking three or four miles. Make sure you build up slowly and don't take on more than you can handle. It's much better to have success after success instead of a setback every four weeks.
When you lose 10 to 15 pounds, you'll feel like you can work out for longer. When you lose weight, you can do more. I think that's a little backwards. People who need to exercise the most are also the ones who can't do much of it. The world is mean. Don't think about it, just start now.
When you are ready to start working out, keep in mind that you will do this every day. It's important to stay interested. If you keep your exercise bike in the garage, make sure there is a TV or radio there too. Time goes by a little faster when you watch TV or listen to the radio. Before you know it, your 30 minutes are up.
One of my friends thinks it's important to change up your routine often. If you've been walking on flat land to get exercise, you might want to try walking up some hills next. Then you could maybe bike some days and swim other days. I agree that this would be a better way to exercise overall than doing the same thing every day. But I'm less hardworking than he is, and we both know it. He has been 100 pounds lighter than I am for almost ten years, so he must be doing something right.
No matter how you plan to work out, make sure you stick with it. Set up a plan and stick to it. Make it a daily habit, like brushing your teeth or feeding your dog or cat. It's easy to say you'll just take one day off, but sometimes that one day can turn into days or weeks.
Plan ahead for the off-season or winter. Depending on the weather where you live, you might not be able to jog for long periods of time in the winter. Buy that exercise bike or try something like aerobics that you can do inside.
You should also think about the time of day you like to work out. At my office, I knew a lot of people who liked to get up early and work out. Since I was used to staying up late, it was hard for me to get up early (when I was twenty-something). But there are lots of things that would keep me from working out after work. After work, I was often too tired or mentally spent to do anything. I was also in a few clubs that met in the evenings, and I still wanted to spend time with my friends. Yes, life was hectic, but I'm sure yours has been too. I finally figured out that I could exercise more often if I got up an hour earlier and worked out in the morning. How hard was that for me? No. I had to get used to my new schedule for three or four months. But once I started getting up very early in the morning, I knew I would keep doing that.
The best thing about working out is that it speeds up your metabolism, which helps you burn more calories even after you're done. That really is a deal you can't refuse. So stop whatever you're doing and go work out right now. I really mean it! Hurry! Immediately!
