Exercise Options For Weight Loss

Think about your goals

According to the experts, a universal goal should be 30 minutes of physical activity of moderate intensity on most days of the week. There's nothing that says you can't do more. And in the beginning, you may do less.

The good news is that several short periods are as good as a single longer period, so long as it adds up to at least 30 minutes. That means if you have the time, or the endurance, for only 10 minutes at a time, you can get your daily dose in three sessions. For example, you could do some calisthenics in the morning, take a brisk but brief walk at lunch time, and playa quick game of tag with your kids just before dinner.

Take it a step at a time

Goals are excellent motivators, but they work best if you set both long-term and short-term ones. If you have been only somewhat active and want to be very active, you may get discouraged long before you reach that goal. If, on the other hand, you decide you'd like to increase the number of days in which you engage in physical activity from one a week to three a week by the end of next month, that is a reasonable goal.

Breaking up your goals into smaller chunks is even more reasonable. You might begin by adding 10 minutes to each activity period. When you are up to 30 minutes on each day you exercise, you can add another day.

The same goes for the fitness yardsticks. Set a long-term goal, but break it into a series of short-term ones.

Can you do five more jumping jacks and still stay in your THR zone? Once you can do five more, aim for ten. Can you do five more sit-ups before your abdominal muscles tire and you start losing perfect form? Then aim for ten more. Can you increase your reach by 2 inches? Aim for 4 inches.

If you took one of the online fitness tests, you might want to set a long-term and several short-term goals for bettering your fitness score.

If you are extremely overweight, don't attempt to sweat off the pounds in a week. If you've been a couch potato, don't start training for the marathon; If you're somewhat active, gradually increase the frequency of your activities, but don't overdo it. If you're moderately active, try to increase the intensity of your activities or try something new. In all cases, choose activities that are appropriate for your current level of fitness.

Do not choose any physical activity for which you are not fit. At best, you won't be able to keep it up. At worst, you will injure yourself.

How will you do it?

I live near a beautiful park with a measured running track. The park is filled at all hours with what looks like a companionable crowd happily jogging their way to fitness. Sometimes I have fantasies about joining them.

But the truth is I hate jogging. It rattles my bones. It hurts my feet, my ankles, my shins. I quickly get out of breath. And I find it boring. If someone told me that the only way I could get and stay fit was to become a runner, I think I'd sit down on the curb and give up.

Lucky for me - and for you - there are dozens of ways to be active. No one has to choose a way that is unpleasant, painful, or unsuitable from the point of view of fitness. The trick is to find activities that you like and that you can do.

The reason I know about that running track is that I often ride a bike nearby. For me, bike riding is ideal. I can travel through pleasant surroundings, as fast or slow as I please. My leg muscles are working hard without stressing my joints. When I pedal fast or uphill, I work up quite a sweat. And I do a lot of deep breathing. I can definitely get an aerobic workout on my bike.

Bike riding is not the only thing I do. It is not an all-round activity. It does not strengthen my back and abdominal muscles, nor do much for my arms. It's easy on my joints, but doesn't really increase my flexibility. And in the climate where I live, it is definitely not a four-season activity. That's why I joined a gym.

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