Exercises to start my Fitness Journey

One thing that can be completely overwhelming when starting a fitness routine is, "What exercises do I do? How long and how often should I work out? Do I need to join a gym?"

Of course each of these have multiple answers which makes it even more difficult and overwhelming. For the purposes of this conversation we will assume that you are a beginner with very little experience in the physical fitness world. I will also assume you have taken inventory of your health and that your doctor is on board with your plans to begin an exercise program.

So you have sat down and set your goals and tomorrow morning you will get up before work to start working towards those goals. While a gym membership can be beneficial because of the equipment and camaraderie, as a beginner there is a lot you can do in the comfort of your own home or in your back yard.

As beginners many of you will have the goal to lose weight. I have three words for you... WALK, WALK, WALK. The more you move the more calories you burn. The more calories you burn the more weight you lose (as long as you don't replace those calories when you get home, that is). One pound is equal to 3500 calories. So, if you have an over all deficit of 3500 calories a week you will lose 1 pound that week. For example, just by cutting out 500 calories a day for a week that make 3500 calories without increasing your physical activity. So imagine what walking a few miles a day will do.

What about building strength? "Don't I need a gym, tons of equipment, and weights?" Not at all. Your body is all the equipment you need. Basic exercises would be squats, lunges, push-ups, crunches, planks, leg lifts, and WALKING (there is that word again). For the exercises besides walking, I would recommend 3-5 sets of 10-15 repetitions of each exercise. If you want to focus on calorie burn and muscular endurance (the length of time muscles can resist fatigue) then increase your repetitions to 15-20. The order of the exercises should be something like 1) Squats, 2) Push-ups, 3) Lunges, 4) Planks with crunches and leg lifts last. (NOTE: When starting out remember to start with the lower number of sets and reps and increase as the exercise becomes easier over time. Also remember to warm-up with walking and dynamic stretching (we will cover this in another issue) and cool down with walking and static stretching (a stretch held in a challenging but comfortable position for a period of time) . Strength training as a beginner should be done 2 or 3 times a week on non-consecutive days.