Exercising--Where Do I Begin?

Question by Eileen P. (Arkansas)
Posted on July 30, 2007

The majority of my life, I have been overweight due to inactivity and poor diet. I recognize, intellectually, what I have to do. So, in the last two years, I have reformed my diet to include mostly fresh vegetables and organic chicken and eggs. As a result, I have lost a significant amount of weight and feel much better psychologically and physically, but I feel I still need to lose at least 30 more pounds. However, I am not highly motivated to introduce an exercise routine in to my life, but realize that this is the next step if I want to continue to improve my overall well-being. What do you recommend for someone who has been sedentary since childhood and does not know where to begin?

Kristi's Answer

Kristi Tuck, BS, ACSM is a certified Health/Fitness Instructor through…Read Full Bio

Lifestyle changes are very difficult to make, so you need to be commended for the changes that you have made in the last two years. This shows that you have independently chosen to make the changes necessary to improve your well-being. The next step is to incorporate activity in to your daily life. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that individuals get at least 30 minutes of activity on most days of the week. For someone who has been inactive since childhood, this may sound like a lot. However, it is important to remember that the 30 minutes can be broken up in to smaller time frames. So, if you can manage to fit in 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes at lunch time and 10 minutes after dinner, you have accomplished your goal. The most important thing to do is MOVE. Walking is the best way for someone unfamiliar with activity to get in 30 minutes. The only special equipment involved is comfortable, walking shoes.