Obesity has been identified as a major epidemic in the United States (and the UK is fast catching!). Millions of people are overweight. Much of this is due to an unhealthy diet and an inactive lifestyle. A good diet in this day and age really is a must. Since this topic has garnered so much attention, more and more people are looking for ways to stay healthy and get fit. In order to achieve this, you must develop an effective and comprehensive fitness routine. Your routine must cover the exercises you perform each day, and the amount of time you spend on each exercise.

Keeping fit doesn’t need to blood, sweat and tears. Here’s how it has always worked for me...

Knowing Where To Start



Too many people get the urge to start working out, and immediately jump into the most intense workout they possibly can. This is a huge mistake! Starting an intense workout regime, with little to no prior experience, can be very dangerous. It’s important to get the consent of a doctor before starting any type of workout program.

Testing Your Fitness Level



Everyone’s body is designed a little differently. Therefore, there is no one workout routine that will suite every single person. Most fitness instructors will require you to perform a fitness test before attempting any workout routine. The fitness test is designed to put your body through a number of different exercises, in order to see your current level of fitness. The test is comprised of numerous stages. These stages will test your endurance, strength, flexibility, coordination, and stamina.

Developing An Exercise Routine



Most exercise routines are a combination of cardiovascular activities, as well as muscular activities. Cardio workouts generally consist of jogging or running, swimming, biking, or walking. These workouts typically focus on improving your endurance and breathing. Muscular workouts will generally target the muscles of your body, and will likely involve some form of weight lifting.

Every day that you workout, it’s important to use a combination of both strength and cardio routines. When designing your exercise routine, you will have days that you primarily focus on strength, and days that you primarily focus on cardio. Fitness instructors (contact me if you you are looking for a personal trainer!) typically recommend that beginners workout between three and five times a week. Each day should alternate between cardio and strength routines. Each workout should last between 45 minutes to an hour.
Check my muscles out!


A Simple Cardio Routine



On your cardio days, you should start out with a simple series of stretches. Your stretches should last for five or 10 minutes. You then want to warm up the body. Start by performing a slow and steady jog. This jog should last for about 10 minutes as well. After your 10 minute warm-up, try increasing the intensity of your jogging pace. If you’re running on a treadmill, simply increase the speed of the machine in small increments. Once you arrive at a comfortable pace that has you running, try keeping this pace for about 30 minutes. After that, slowly begin to decrease your speed. Let your body slowly cool down until you come to a complete stop. Repeat the stretches from the beginning of the workout, and you're all done. Make sure that you drink plenty of water during a workout like this.

Any fitness routine you perform should be designed with your body in mind. Always perform a fitness test before you begin a routine. The fitness test will help you design a routine that’s right for you. As stated previously, it is important to consult your doctor before beginning any program.