Think F.I.T.
To make physical improvements, you need to work your body harder than usual. As your body becomes more conditioned, you need to increase the frequency, intensity, or time of your workouts in order to continue improving your fitness level.

Frequency: How often you exercise. For beginners, consider starting with 2-3 sessions per week.

Intensity: How hard you exercise. For example, the pace you walk or run, the amount of weight you lift, or your heart rate count.

Time: How long you perform an activity. "Time" can also refer to the number of sets or repetitions you perform in weight training.

EXERCISE COMPONENT ONE: Aerobic Exercise:
Aerobic Exercise increases the health and function of your heart, lungs, and circulatory system. For maximum effectiveness, aerobic exercise needs to be continuous, rhythmic and involve the large muscle groups (primarily located in the lower part of your body). Walking, jogging, cycling, aerobic dance, and stair climbing are examples of activities that use large muscle groups. Higher levels of aerobic capacity can be achieved by combining upper and lower body movements with activities such as cross country skiing, rowing and swimming.

EXERCISE COMPONENT TWO: Strength Training:
Strength training is the process of exercising with progressively heavier resistance to build or retain muscle. Unless you perform regular strength exercise, you will lose up to one-half pound of muscle every year of life after age 25. Muscle is a very active tissue with high-energy requirements, even when you are asleep, your muscles are responsible for over 25% of your calorie use. An increase in muscle tissue caused a corresponding increase in the number of calories your body will burn even at rest.

EXERCISE COMPONENT THREE: Flexibility:
Flexibility is a critical element of an exercise program but it is often ignored. Stretching is important for a number of reasons; increases physical performance, decreases risk of injury, increases blood supply and nutrients to the joints, increases neuromuscular coordination, reduces soreness, improves balance, decreases risk of low back pain, and reduces stress in muscles.

Choosing an Exercise

The best exercise is one that you enjoy enough to really pursue, that challenges you to improve your fitness level and keeps your enthusiasm high. Experiment with different forms until you find the best exercise(s) for you.

Indoor Activities:
If the treadmill, stairmaster, rowing machine or stationery bike doesn't excite you, then try some group activities such as aerobics, a group cycling class, yoga, martial arts or get wet with indoor swimming.

At Home Activities:
You don't need to join a gym to exercise - you may have started your own at home. Your local video store or library will carry a variety of fitness videos to workout in the privacy of your own home. Try some activities that require inexpensive equipment such as a skipping rope, a set of hand weights, or a basic step for step aerobics. If you enjoy working out at home then you may decide to invest in a larger piece of equipment such as a treadmill, stationery bike or stepper. Read "Start you very own home gym" for some tips.

Outdoor Activities: No matter what the season - there are plenty of outdoor activities that you will enjoy. Take a Hike, learn to ski, dive or run along the beach.

Determining Your Starting Point
To achieve cardiovascular benefits, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends exercising 3-5 times per week (frequency), performing one to three sets of 10 repetitions (time) of eight to ten different exercises at approximately 70-85 percent of your one repetition maximum (intensity).

To attain muscular benefits, the ACSM recommends weight training two days per week (frequency), performing one to three sets of 10 repetitions (time) or eight to ten different exercises at approximately 70-85 percent of your one repetition maximum (intensity).

If you are just beginning an exercise program, start in the low range of the above recommendations. For example, participate in a cardiovascular activity (walking, aerobics, cycling etc) for 20 minutes, three times per week and add strength-training exercises to your workout, twice a week. Schedule your strength training workouts with 48 hours rest in between to allow your muscles to recuperate and repair after each workout.

Begin Slowly and Gradually Build
If you attempt "too much, too soon" it will lead to soreness, fatigue and/or injuries. Work at your own level, start out slow, and gradually increase duration and level of difficulty as your body progresses. Getting fit is a lifestyle commitment - it won't happen overnight…but it will happen. Don't expect immediate dramatic changes in your body shape or weight loss. Although changes are happening internally, most external benefits won't become visible for the first four to six weeks. Stay focused on your lifestyle choice and enjoy the internal benefits of increased energy, less stress and anxiety, higher self-esteem, and an increased feeling of well-being.