The American Heart Association recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of very intense aerobic exercise every week. In addition, they recommend adding moderate- to high-intensity muscle-strengthening activity (such as resistance or weights) on at least 2 days per week.
If that seems daunting to you – don’t worry – this beginner’s guide to exercise will walk you through how to get started. The most important thing to know is any exercise is better than no exercise!
We all hear we should exercise more; I am sure you already have heard how regular exercise helps manage your weight, increase strength, improve heart health, mental health, and much more – it sounds like a great idea until you actually have to do it!
Why is it hard to maintain a workout routine? It could be because you are too busy, don’t know where to start, or you don’t enjoy it! I can relate to those reasons. When I started working out, I had no idea where to start. I didn’t enjoy exercising because I felt lost and intimidated. Now, I have been consistently exercising for 7+ years and learned the key to regular exercise is finding something you ENJOY!
Let me help you find something you can enjoy too. But first, let talk about the types of exercise.
The key to regular exercise is finding something you enjoy!
Types of Exercise
Exercise doesn’t just have to be hours of running or doing hundreds of dumbbell curls! Find something you like and look forward to doing! It will help you stay consistent and motivated. There are many different activities to choose from, including:
Aerobic or “cardio”
Any fitness program needs to include some form of movement that gets your heart rate up. Examples include swimming, running, biking, playing sports, cardio equipment, incline walking, brisk-paced walking, and dancing.
- High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): This aerobic exercise includes short bursts of high-intensity activity followed by low-intensity exercises or rest periods. Examples include sprints!
Strength Training
This includes exercises that help increase muscle and strength by using weights or weight machines.
- Body Weight: These moves need ZERO equipment – just your body and some space! Examples include lunges, squats, situps, pushups, and pullups.
- Functional Strength: These are high-intensity circuits that combine aerobic and resistance exercises. Think CrossFit or Bootcamp workouts!
Balance & Flexibility
These exercises strengthen muscles and improve coordination. Examples include pilates, yoga, and stretching. This can help muscle recovery, maintain range of motion, prevent injuries, and be a great stress reducer!
Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT)
AKA day-to-day exercise not done on purpose, can improve your health! Examples include cleaning the house, walking the dog, showering, gardening, shopping, or prepping food. Tips to increase NEAT are parking further away, taking the stairs, investing in a standing desk (like this one), or taking a quick walk during the day when you can.
Exercise Terms
Before diving into how to get started, let’s learn some lingo for exercise.
- Rep is the number of times you complete a single exercise before taking a rest or a break.
- Set is how many reps you do in a row between rest periods.
Example: “3×10 of push-ups” translates to 3 sets of 10 reps of push-ups. So you will complete 10 reps 3 times. 10 push-ups, 10 push-ups, 10 push-ups.
5 steps to get you started right now
Now that you know the basics, here’s how to get started.
- Check with your doctor.
Please check with your doctor first to determine which exercises are safe for you.
- Have a plan!
Plan, plan, plan. No more walking randomly through the gym, grabbing the first piece of equipment you see, and not knowing what to do.
Plan out where you are exercising, what you will be doing, and when you will be doing this.
- Start low and go slow!
Having realistic goals increase your chances for success and keep you from getting discouraged. Think S.M.A.R.T. Check out this post on creating S.M.A.R.T. goals!
Many people make the mistake of starting out too extreme, only to find they become too tired, injured, and give up. The goal is to develop new habits that you can stick with for a lifetime!
Start with low goals and then gradually increase exercise time, frequency, or intensity once you feel you’ve mastered the first goal.
Remember, results take TIME! You will not see improvements in fitness right away – which is why it’s good to keep track of progress and celebrate small accomplishments!
- Keep track of progress
One of the best motivators is to see how far you’ve come. A few ways to do this are keeping a calendar, like this one, and marking off the days you exercised.
For aerobic goals, jot down on a notebook or spreadsheet how long you performed an activity and how difficult it was on a scale of 1-10. Over time you’ll see what you used to think was a 10 becomes a 5! Once you’ve improved, try challenging yourself and increasing the intensity of the activity you did.
For strength, jot down the weight you used (or note body weight), the reps you completed, and rate how difficult it was on a scale of 1-10. This allows you to check in each week to see if you are improving!
A few quick reminders
- Stay hydrated
Keep a water bottle handy while exercising. Try to drink 7-10 ounces of water (around a cup) every 10-20 minutes of exercise
- Work out with a friend
Having a friend tag along for workouts is a great way to have accountability, increase motivation, and it makes working out fun!
- Warm-up and cool down
Make sure to warm up and cool down for 5-10 minutes before and after exercises by doing light physical activity such as stretching or jogging in place to prevent injury.
- Listen to your body
You know your body best. Whether you are ill, didn’t get enough sleep, are injured, are very sore, or just want to skip a day to be with friends, it is OKAY to take a day off! One missed exercise will not halt your progress; it is better to rest and recover than have burnout.
- Fuel your workouts
For longer workouts, try to eat a small carbohydrate snack such as a banana (or whatever suits you and your diet). After workouts, grab a snack of carbohydrates and protein; my go-to is an apple and peanut butter or cottage cheese and fruit!
Regular physical activity and nutrition go hand and hand when creating a healthy lifestyle. Together they are powerful tools to help you reduce your need for medication. If you struggle to make realistic exercise and nutrition goals, schedule a free 20-minute discovery video call with Carrie today!
If you need help getting started check out this exercise template.
Hi! My name is Emma Fehr; I am currently a dietetic intern at the University of Northern Colorado. I have a bachelor’s degree in dietetics from the University of Northern Colorado and am also a Licensed Athletic Coach. I have a passion for helping women reach their personal fitness and nutrition goals through healthy and sustainable lifestyle changes!
Disclaimer, this post is for educational purposes, not all exercises are suitable for everyone and this exercise template may result in injury. Please consult your doctor before beginning this or any other exercise program, especially if you have any chronic or recurring condition, and/or if you are pregnant, nursing, or elderly.