Getting Started: The First Step to Lifelong Fitness

Beginning an exercise habit has many rewards. Our bodies were made to move, and movement keeps us healthy. Every part of the body grows stronger with regular activities, from muscles, joints and bones to the heart and blood vessels. Regular activity fights anxiety and depression, and helps you sleep better. Once you make regular physical activity a priority, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.

The key to exercise success is to start slowly and to increase gradually. Think “lifelong”. You are developing an exercise habit that will be with you for years to come. Try to find activities that are enjoyable and convenient for you.

Finally, when you are comfortable with your activities, add strength training. When your muscles are not challenged, you will gradually begin to lose them. Starting in your 20’s, you will gradually lose muscle mass at a rate of several pounds per decade if you don’t strength train. Loss of muscle tissue results in weakness, inflexibility, and a decline in metabolic rate.

If you are new to strength training, work with a fitness trainer – it will help you get the most out of every session. Once you understand how to work safely and effectively, you will wonder why you thought strength training was only for athletes. Feeling firmer and stronger can really lift your spirits.