What we can learn from this is that, first, it takes more exercise to maintain weight loss than we might think. But, that doesn't mean you have to overhaul your life overnight in order to make exercise a reality.
Creating Your Exercise Habit
Before you panic about trying to get an hour of exercise every day, it's important to realize that our NWCR members probably didn't start out with that much activity. It takes time to condition your body, learn the activities you enjoy and figure out what fits into your lifestyle. Giving yourself permission to take that time and experiment with different activities, schedules and frequencies will allow you to find what will work for you in the long-term, not just a few days or weeks.
A basic exercise routine should include cardio, strength training and flexibility exercises to help you burn calories, build muscle and keep your connective tissue flexible.
Setting Up your Own Program
- Getting Started with Cardio. This step-by-step approach teaches you how to ease into a basic cardio program.
- Getting Started with Strength Training. If you're lost when it comes to lifting weights, this article takes you through each phase of a strength program.
- Flexibility Training. This article gives you the basics about how and when to stretch as well as tips for getting the most out of your flexibility routine.
- Setting up a Complete Program. Putting it all together is often the most confusing part of exercise. This article offers a variety of workout schedules to give you an idea of what a typical week of exercise looks like.
Other Options
If you need more help, you can always work with a personal trainer (you can also find them online). Another option is to follow a more structured program such as one of these free e-courses:
- 12 Weeks to Weight Loss
- 30-Day Fitness Challenge
- 6 Weeks to a Healthy Lifestyle
- Walk of Life 10 Week Program
Tips and Tricks
If you get confused about where to start, just remember: Doing something is always better than nothing so, when all else fails, go for a walk. And, remember, you can set up your program anyway you like. A few things you can do include:
- Splitting your routine. Split your workouts throughout the day and you'll still get the weight loss and health benefits.
- Varying your intensity. If you work harder, you can often shorten your workouts, so having workouts of varying intensities can give you more leeway in your exercise schedule.
- You can incorporate other activity. Structured exercise is important, but general activity can also make a big difference in burning calories.
- You can take your time. Permanent weight loss is a slow process and so is changing bad habits. Give yourself time to figure out how to make these changes and then give your body the time it needs to lose the weight.
Successful Weight Loss Habit No. 1: Exercise
Successful Weight Loss Habit No. 2: Eating a Low-Calorie, Low-Fat Diet
Successful Weight Loss Habit No. 3: Self-Monitoring
Successful Weight Loss Habit No. 4: Being Consistent
Sources:
Kravitz, Len. Winning at Losing: Secrets of Long-Term Weight Loss. Jul. 22, 2007.
