Exercise is so important to our health and well being.  We can’t truly be healthy without exercise. 

 

The benefits of exercise are many. It reduces the risk of illness and disease.  We need weightbearing exercise for strong, healthy bones. Exercise helps with weight management. It reduces stress, and improves our mood. Just to name a few!

 

 

 

How to Find the Perfect Exercise for You!

 

1. Go see your doctor. Yes, that’s the first step to finding the perfect exercise for you. Talk to your doctor. Tell him/her that you want to start exercising and get cleared for new physical activity.

 

 

 

2. Decide what your health goals are. Improve your heart health? Lose weight? Stay active instead of slowing down with age? Build muscle? Increase your stamina? You have to choose the health goals that are important to you. Choosing all, or too many, will make it next to impossible for you to meet your goals. Pick one. Reach that goal or be well on your way to reaching it, before you add another one.

 

 

3. Think about the things you love to do. Did you love a certain sport when you were in school? Did you take skating/horseback riding/dance lessons? Is being out in nature your thing or do you prefer to be indoors? Once you focus on the things you love to do, you will be able to narrow down what exercise you will love. Take up those lessons again, find a sports team to play on. Go out and hike that mountain. Well, work your way up to the mountain. lol

 

 

4. Take a good look at your schedule. Committing several hours a week to a sports team/ dance lessons, etc. won’t work if your schedule is already full. No matter how hard you try, you will be setting yourself up for failure. You may need to start out smaller while you work on changing your schedule. Maybe your lunch hour is the only time you have. Take a walk instead of being on your phone or talking to others. Get them to go on a walk with you!

  

5. Do you like to exercise with others? Or do you prefer to be alone? if you prefer to be alone and you take a large exercise class/join a team, you aren’t going to be able to keep with it. And vice versa. Do you want/need someone with you to tell you what to do every step of the way? If you do, getting a trainer or coach will really help you. If you don’t, getting a trainer will make you miserable, and you will stop.

 

Once you find what you love, that fits with your personality, and schedule, it’s time to get moving!