| Many people make the mistake of setting their | | | | sport like swimming, skiing or golf, consider taking |
| fitness goals too high when they embark on an | | | | lessons with a professional so that you develop good |
| exercise program. This leads them to abandon their | | | | habits from the beginning. |
| plans out of frustration and impatience. Setting | | | | If you've been getting moderate exercise your goals |
| manageable goals is key to maintaining a fitness | | | | can be a little more ambitious. If you're walking the |
| program over time. | | | | recommended 30 minutes per day, why not add |
| If you have been completely sedentary you need to | | | | hand weights to your routine? This might also be the |
| start out your fitness regimen by working towards | | | | time to consider adding more weight to your lifting or |
| small and realistic goals. These can be as simple as | | | | taking an intermediate fitness course. You may also |
| walking around the block once a day for a week, and | | | | be ready to speak to a personal trainer about |
| adding another block each subsequent week until | | | | beginning to work on building specific muscle groups. |
| they reach the 30 minutes recommended by health | | | | Once you've attained a high level of fitness, then it's |
| professionals. A few sessions with a personal trainer | | | | time for some serious goal setting. Plan to run a |
| can help you set reasonable goals for weight-bearing | | | | marathon or participate in a 5K walking event. There |
| exercise like weight training. In the beginning focus on | | | | are many of these events run to benefit charity, |
| overall conditioning rather than building muscle. Check | | | | giving a double benefit of both funds raised and |
| with staff at your gym or fitness center for | | | | health benefits to participants. When preparing for an |
| recommendations about what exercise classes are | | | | event of this nature, return to your early habit of |
| right for your current fitness level. | | | | setting small, realistic goals. Add miles to your run on |
| When you're just starting out, it's easy to make rash | | | | a weekly basis until you are able to complete the full |
| promises like exercising every day. It's hard for even | | | | distance. Speak with your trainer to establish a |
| people in top condition to make time each and every | | | | regular schedule of weight-bearing exercise that will |
| day for training. Start off three or four days a week | | | | help improve your stamina and flexibility. |
| and build up from there. If you're taking up a new | | | | |