Taking the First Step in Exercising

ByCindy G

The beginning of the journey is the most crucial, and you will see the most gains and results in the first few months. Once you hit a plateau, that's when you start experimenting what works best for you.

The purpose is to teach you how to build your foundation by beginning with making small changes in your habits, which eventually will become your goal/results. You need to work on your base before anything else, and then gradually progress the further you go. Building your foundation may be the most difficult step because you need to push yourself to changing those small habits that you have. However, once you accomplish the foundation/base, everything will come together and your initial goal will be much easier than when you began.

As noted, the first few months will be difficult, and this is where most people fail, but it is also the most crucial part. You need to start at your own pace and make changes in your habits. Once you reach a specific point where you see the physical and health results, that should give you more motivation to achieve higher goals.

Here is a list of habits you should aim for in your daily routine:

Eat frequently to increase your metabolism. You don't have to have big meals. Many people skip breakfast because of their busy lifestyles, but breakfast is the most important meal of the day because it gives your body the energy it needs for the day. Try to have 4-6 meals a day, and make healthier choices such as packing a lunch instead of buying outside food.
Incorporate exercising into your daily routine. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or bike instead of taking the bus. Small habits such as these can go a long way, and eventually they will lead to changing bigger habits. The main goal is to get you into the habit of exercising, and leading it to an actual workout.
Adjust your sleeping patterns. By having a proper sleeping pattern and enough sleep, it helps your muscles recover from exercising. Sleep for a good 7-9 hours and try to avoid naps.

Exercising could either be cardiovascular training or resistance training. Your main goal is to actually get yourself into exercising. You may not find motivation at the beginning but as long as you are putting an effort into it, that's what counts. For beginners, it is best to have a mixture of both cardiovascular and resistance training within the same day. Try to get some cardiovascular training done (walking, running, etc) to strengthen the heart, and to burn some extra calories. Choose a steady pace where you can go for a long duration (15-30 minutes) and then gradually increase the intensity and duration.

In the end, you are the only one that has the ability to change your lifestyle. Remember to listen to your body and slowly change your habits; don't force your body too much, work gradually. Don't rush things because that is where a lot of people make mistakes and fail. Work at a pace that suits you and soon you will be living a healthier lifestyle.

Cindy is an editor at Fitsical.com

Fitsical is a reliable source for health and fitness content for those who seek a happier and healthier lifestyle through physical activity and healthy eating. Some people don't know where or how to start and this is why we are here. Our site features multiple weekly articles on health and fitness news, trends, tips, exercises and recipes. Our articles are short and concise; they contain enough quality information on the topic without having you read an entire book.

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How Much Running Is Required to Train for a First Half Marathon?

Running a first half marathon is a great way of getting fit, losing weight and maybe even earning some money for a good cause. But how much training is required?

The answer depends on two things - how fit you are at the beginning of your training, and how fast you want to compete the 13.1 mile course. Both need to be considered together. Starting from a low level of fitness but trying to run the course in less than 90 minutes is going to take a LOT of training.

It's generally reckoned that to achieve that sort of time, you will need to be running in the region of 50 miles per week. And starting from a low fitness base it will take quite a long time to get up to that level. A useful rule of thumb is the 10% rule - increase your total running distance by no more than 10% from one week to the next if you want to minimise your risk of getting injured. Most injuries are caused by increasing the intensity or distance run each week too quickly. The 10% rule helps prevent runners from getting carried away. So if you can run 10 miles per week now (spread over 3 or more runs, obviously) the most you should try next week is 11 miles. Keep to this simple rule and you should be able to avoid over-training, and keep uninjured for your first half marathon.

So, if you haven't run for years, you are looking at 6 or more months hard training before you are able to do the kind of weekly distance that will be required to run 13.1 miles in under 90 minutes. On the plus side, that would probably be fast enough to get you in the to 2% of finishers - and that includes the elite runners! Most of us would rather set a less demanding target - maybe just completing the distance, or aiming for less than 2 hours, which would still get you in the top third of finishers for the Great North Run in the UK.

Either way you should be looking to build up to running at least 3 times a week, spread out over the whole week, steadily increasing the weekly distance as you go. It's very tempting to try and get all of your training done in one or two sessions a week. However, that is not only a good way of getting injured, but it's also bad for your body. You don't tend to build up the muscles you need so much and you don't lose so much weight. Consistent, regular exercise is the key to good results. Missing a day is OK. Missing 5 days in a row is going to make it so much harder to achieve you goals.

Find out more about training for a half marathon at www.erunningweightloss.com/halfmarathontraining

Rob Knowles used to be a sedentary, overweight office dweller. He still wastes his days trying to earn an honest living in an office, but he did take up running, he lost some weight and now he just won't stop going on about it!

© 2012 Rob Knowles

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How Long Does It Take to Train for Your First Half Marathon?

The length of time required to train for a first half marathon depends upon a number of factors. But one of the reasons for the popularity of half marathons is that most people are able to compete in their first event within a relatively short period of time - often as little as 3 months.

The idea of running a full, 26.2 mile marathon is something which is extremely daunting for most of us. However, the proliferation of half marathons, and huge numbers of people of all ages who have participated in them, shows how achievable they are for ordinary people.

The basic idea of training for any event is what's called progressive overload. Start with what you can do. Some people may already be able to run, but many beginners probably haven't run in years. In which case they should start with walking. You may think that walking won't do you much good, but if you haven't participated in any form of exercise for some time you, walking for 30 minutes a day every day of the week will start to make noticeable differences to your body in just a couple of weeks. You'll be able to go faster, and still not get so out of breath. And you'll probably start to lose a few pounds, as long as you haven't started treating yourself to a pizza every day as a reward for all that exercise!

One of the great things about mass participation half marathons is that everybody is in the same boat. Sure there are the elite runners at the front who want to set a world record. But you probably won't see them except for on the TV highlights. The large majority will be people just like you - who want to get fit and have a bit of fun, possibly raising some money for their favourite charity on the way. They are not so fiercely competitive that it becomes a drain. And the shared endurance, not to mention cheering crowd of spectators, gives a genuinely life enhancing boost. There is no pressure to achieve a particular time, other than that which you put upon yourself.

So, if your target just to get round the circuit before the organisers put away the cones (typically 4 hours) most people can complete enough training in a few months. If you are a bit more competitive and are aiming for 2 or 2.5 hours, 6 months should give you all the time you need to build up your endurance and speed, steadily each week. If you want to break the world record, it will almost certainly take a little longer!

Find out more about training for a half marathon at www.erunningweightloss.com/halfmarathontraining

Rob Knowles used to be a sedentary, overweight office dweller. He still wastes his days trying to earn an honest living in an office, but he did take up running, he lost some weight and now he just won't stop going on about it!

© 2012 Rob Knowles

Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert

Read More