We all know that exercise is crucial for us. I found many people start their workout when they are in chronic illness and have no way in their life other than exercise or their doctors told them to start exercise immediately. They don’t think about their future life and are not aware about exercise. Some people don’t understand how to start exercise and what is the right way to start exercise. Before starting exercise is the hardest part of time of your life. For this, I am giving some tips on how to start exercise and stick to it:–

1. Set your goals: Ask yourself. What do you want? Do you want to lose weight or stay fit or alleviate pain, lower blood pressure or heart disease?
2. Set time: Set how much time you need to do workout according to your physical condition.
3. Consult with your Doctor or Certified Gym Instructor: These people will certainly help you to set your goals mentioned above. Otherwise, exercise may bring bad impact other than good results.
4. Measure your weight and BMI: Measure your BMI and weight at the first day of staring of your workout. Click here to learn about BMI.
5. Have a proper schedule: Make a fixed schedule for workout according to your daily working or busy schedule. If you don’t get time in whole day long, then go for exercise in the morning. Otherwise, you can do workout in the evening. Plan with a Gym trainer that in which day you will do which type of workout. Finish your workout at least 4 hours before bed time.
6. Warm up and cool down: Start exercise with proper warm up stretching at least 5 mins and finish exercise with 5 mins of stretching and cool down session. Ask your trainer for these or click here.
7. Do what you like: If you feel that doing exercising is boring, then do whatever you like. You can do walking (in nature, road or in tread mill), jogging, running, swimming, aerobics, martial art, dancing, cycling, yoga, or combination etc. But don’t give up your workout schedule. Stick to it. You can also walk or jog in the park or in the road.
8. Give preference to your workout schedule: Don’t neglect exercising, try to hold it and love to do workout for yourself. Think what will happen later if you drop out your workout schedule for ever. You can do it while you watching TV, listening songs etc.
9. Focus on what you are doing: While exercising, take it seriously, give concentration to it and feel that you are doing workout. Don’t waste your time by neglecting exercise.

10.   Start from small amount of time: Start your workout from 10 mins or 20 mins in a day. Then gradually increase it up to 30 to 60 mins in most days of week. For example, you can add extra 5 mins in every one or two weeks. Enhance your level also with amount of time.

11.  Give it time to work: Keep patience, you will find result of your workout or you will be habituated in to your workout at least after 30 days.

12.  Track your progress: Maintain a diary and write down your current weight, BMI etc. Write your daily schedule and keep your eye on it frequently and write your monthly progress also.

13.  Know your target heart rate: For proper way of exercising and avoiding risk of heart attack, click here.

14.  Have proper Dress and Shoes: Buy your shorts or trousers, T-shirts, Shoes and socks as your choice and then wear these and start exercise. But make sure that these are comfortable for you. You must keep water bottle and hand towel to remove sweats.

15.  Choose your Gym: I suggest that if possible, then you must choose a Good Gym as a workout place. Because as a beginner, it may not be possible to do workout properly at your own. Gym trainers can guide you properly in this regard. Try to find a good gym, situated nearest from your home.

16.  Find a buddy or friend: Choose a person, like your friend, father, mother, sister, brother, wife or husband as your exercise partner, who can boost your spirit of exercising.

17.  Listen to your body and don’t be upset: If you miss your workout schedule in any day for any reason, don’t be upset. Try to make up it on any other day. If you feel pain or any discomfort, take one or two days off and stop exercise for that day.

18.  Use your whole body: If you use your whole body and multiple muscle groups, then it will burn more calories.

19.  Don’t try to follow other person who is not in your level : Maintain your level. Don’t wish to follow an advanced level of exerciser. For example, in my Gym (Gold’s Gym, Bashundhara) one day, a woman(beginner) followed my way of doing exercise (I am an advanced level of exerciser) and at the end, she became faint.

20.   Go for only cardio in the first week: In the first week, you can do only cardio workout. No weight machines or weight lifting materials, no spinning cycle also.

21.  Ask your trainer: Ask your trainer as often as you need about your workout or diet.

22.  Learn exercise: If you do exercise without learning it in proper way, then chances to experience muscle pull or other health disorder. So, love exercise and learn exercise.

23.  Don’t take foods at least 30 mins before and after workout. You can drink only water. During exercise, you should take a small sip of water in every 5 to 10 mins .

Starting exercise is like incorporating a good habit in your daily life, that will keep you fit and helps to maintain good health. So, I wish you will take this important decision now and inform me how do you feel.