Exercise
for Weight Loss
Exercise for weight
loss is an important addition to any diet programme and will
also help you give up smoking, as it will make you more aware
of the effect cigarettes are having on your breathing. For many
people who are very overweight, the prospect of exercise is
a frightening one. However,the good news is that it is not necessary
to sign up for a gym or embark on a strenuous routine to see
results.
Before you start exercising, check with your doctor and if you are going to join
or gym or enrol on a keep fit programme, please make sure your
instructor is properly qualified and have a fitness assessment
before you start. That
said, let's look at the easiest way to introduce exercise into
your daily life. Most people who are seriously overweight, heavy
smokers, or just plain busy, will want an approach that isn't
too demanding.
Start by assessing
how much you actually move already. Make a note of your activities
for a week and then look at ways of incorporating more exercise.
You could start by
walking all or part of the way to work, college or the shops.
Do you absolutely have to take the kids to school in the car
or could you walk or cycle with them? Could you use your bike
to get to places fairly near home?
Do you have a dog
which needs to be walked? Or could you walk one for an elderly
neighbour? If you have some free time on your hands, you could
consider making some money walking other people's dogs!
If you have children
and are concerned about their weight, organise a family outing
once a week which involves exercise. Choose something everyone
enjoys and can take part in, such as cycling, kicking a football
or rollerblading.
If you aren't brave
enough to get your skates on or join in a football game, walk
around the park or run around the pitch while the kids are playing.
Do you enjoy dancing? It's a great form of exercise. So head off to the dance
floor instead of the pub on Friday nights. Or you can dance at
home when everyone else is out, just put on a CD and have fun.
If you have friends
who also want to lose weight, take up some form of exercise
together. The important thing is that you enjoy whatever it
is. Exercise should be the fun part of losing weight and not
a chore. So don't take it too seriously. Even doing a very small
amount of exercise will make you feel better and as soon as
you start to feel better, it becomes easier to cut out the comfort
food.
If you enjoy having
a more traditional workout, or would like to try, you
can also use home gym equipment, as an alternative to buying
an expensive gym membership. You can build up gradually, initially
getting one piece of inexpensive equipment, for example, but
you need to start with a warm
up.
The
articles on this site are for information only and are not intended
to replace medical advice.
Images
by Geek
Philosopher
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