How to Start (or Re-start) an Effective Exercise Routine: 7 Practical Tips for Achieving Healthy Exercise Goals

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Studies looking at regular exercise have identified trends toward better health while studies indicate a sedentary lifestyle is associated with a plethora of negative health consequences that many of us wish to avoid. Exercise does not necessarily come naturally or easily to many people, but it is a lifestyle that can be developed without investment of large amounts of money or time. Below are tips to consider when starting or re-starting an exercise program for yourself.

#1 Collaborate with your healthcare provider.

Many people avoid or stop exercising due to a health issue, such as an injury or pain. A healthcare provide can help you to explore which types of exercise are safest for your individual health needs. If you have health concerns such as diabetes, low or high blood pressure, asthma, chronic pain, fatigue, etc., a healthcare provider can provide specific guidelines to ensure that your exercise routine is safe and appropriate for you.

A few examples of questions you may wish to ask your healthcare provider include:

1. Do I need to do anything related to my health condition before exercising?
2. Is it safe for me to exercise at home? Alone? Outside? Standing?
3. What cardio exercises are safe for me?
4. What strength training exercises are safe for me?
5. How long should my exercise sessions be?
6. How often do you recommend that I exercise?
7. Do I need to do anything related to my health condition while exercising?
8. What "red flags" do I need to watch for while exercising and what should I do if they occur?
9. Do you have any safe exercise resources that you could share with me?
10. Do I need to do anything related to my health condition after exercising?

#2 Select exercise appropriate clothing.

Appropriate clothing depends on the type of exercise you choose to utilize; however, here are a few practical tips to consider:

If you have a health condition related to your feet, legs, or balance, you may need specially designed shoes or inserts. You may wish to check with someone who has training regarding feet and special footwear in order to select a shoe that works best for your body and your preferred types of exercise.

Many popular types of exercise, such as walking, hiking, and biking, call for shoes. Ensure that your shoes have closed toes and closed heels, provide adequate support, are non-slip, and fit well. People who exercise regularly may need to replace shoes every six months or more often, depending on the shoe quality and exercises in which you participate. Many people find that new, quality shoes may help with posture and may reduce pain in the feet, legs, and back.

Clothing that moves with you will allow for easier stretching and less wardrobe malfunctions. Whether you plan to attend a water exercise class, go rock climbing, or swim, you may wish to try on the clothing you wish to wear and perform a few simple, light movements and stretches related to your chosen exercise in front of a mirror to ensure that your clothing stretches sufficiently and covers body parts you wish to keep covered.

Safety equipment and comfort clothing can help to protect you while exercising. For example, a helmet can protect you from certain types of brain injuries if you engage in certain contact sports while a pair of padded shorts or pants may provide extra cushion while riding on a bike. If you tend to experience painful chaffing of the inner thighs while exercising, you might consider long pants or specially designed clothing. Some people use a light application petroleum jelly to the inner thighs before engaging in exercise to help prevent chaffing.

If you plan to exercise outside, ensure that your wardrobe provides sufficient protection from the weather and other outdoor elements. Many people find that they can safely exercise in a variety of temperatures and weather conditions if they plan ahead with appropriate attire. A wide brimmed hat and sunscreen can help protect against the sun's ultraviolet rays. If you plan to exercise in areas with ticks, mosquitoes, and other insects, consider repellents applied to your skin or clothing. Use any chemicals as directed by the manufacturer.

Some fabrics "breathe" more than others and have the ability to wick away moisture like sweat. Many people find that exercise clothing with this ability helps them to exercise at higher levels or for longer periods of time without having clothes that are drenched in sweat.

#3 Notify someone when and where you will be exercising.

Whether you are hiking at a park or shoveling snow in the driveway, alerting a family member or friend to your whereabouts when exercising can be a great safety backup in case something unexpected happens. Even the most elite athletes can experience unexpected issues and need assistance.

You might wish to share the following with a trusted friend or family member:

• Where you are going, including an address
• When you plan to arrive
• How long you plan to stay
• When you plan to leave

You might consider a GPS tracking system if you will be in a more remote location; however, GPS may not pick up in certain locations. I recommend significant knowledge of the terrain first and exercising with a friend or group if engaging in activities like rappelling, rock climbing, spelunking, remote hiking, etc.

Posting your location on public forums such as social media can be risky and is a practice that I do not recommend.

#4 Utilize a warm-up and cool down for exercise sessions.

Many people stop exercising because they got hurt during a workout. The idea that exercise should hurt in order to be effective is not often a sustainable thought process for many people. A proper warm-up can help prepare the body and muscles for exercise and may help prevent injuries. An effective cool down and help the body to slow down gradually and safely and may reduce sore muscles after a workout.

I recommend gentle warm-up exercises that move the joints through a full range of motion in a rhythmic fashion before working out. For example, if you plan to swim, move your arms slowly through that swimming motion, or if you plan to jog, begin by walking slowly and then progressing to a more brisk pace. An effective warm-up usually takes about 5 minutes and many warm-up exercises can be performed while seated or lying down.

At the end of an exercise session, I recommend slowing down gradually before stopping. Stretching and balancing at the end of a workout can help you to decrease injuries and improve functional movements and balance. This can be done while standing, sitting down, or lying down and usually takes about 5-10 minutes.

In my opinion, doing a warm-up and cool down with workouts is an excellent investment in time and effort.

#5 Choose exercise options that you are more likely to enjoy.

I have taught exercise classes since 1999, and many people who do not exercise regularly mention that they have had negative experiences with exercise in the past. It can help to identify what happened with those negative experiences in order to choose future exercise experiences that may be more positive. Just because you did not like one type of exercise does not mean that you would not like another type of exercise. For example, if you were bullied while playing sports or felt very uncoordinated while riding a bike does not mean that you will experience those same feelings with other workouts.

Sometimes negative self-talk can be a barrier to exercise. You may wish to write positive statements or affirmations regarding benefits you wish to experience from exercise. Examine your reasons for wanting to exercise and place them in places where you will see those positive statements. I encourage you to begin with very simple and short exercises where you feel you can achieve a sense of satisfaction so that your start will be a positive one upon which you can built.

I recommend developing a list of a variety of exercises you wish to consider, ensuring that some are easily accessible to you and something you feel would not be intimidating. If a previous barrier was the time commitment to driving to a gym across town, for example, plan some workouts that are within walking distance or inside your home. Consider alternate options with a backup plan. For example, if your first choice is to walk outside, you might consider doing a walking workout indoors with a video if weather conditions would prevent you from going outside. I have found many exercise routines on YouTube for free.

Here are a few exercise options to consider:

• Walking, hiking, or running
• Seated exercises or exercises you can do while holding on to a chair
• Doing yard work or cleaning the house
• Practicing mind/body exercises such as yoga, tai chi, or Pilates
• Lifting objects such as water bottles/jugs, dumbbells, free weights or utilizing weight machines
• Biking or riding a scooter or skateboard
• Walking in the water, swimming, or playing a water sport
• Using a machine such as a treadmill, elliptical, rowing machine, etc.
• Playing or practicing drills in a sport such as basketball, pickleball, or soccer
• Dancing to your favorite music or taking a dance exercise class
• Paddling a boat or board
• Utilizing terrain in the environment such as hills, stairs, or walls
• Taking a group exercise class at a gym, via a video, or virtually
• Creating or following a circuit of exercises such as pushups, jumping jacks, jumping rope, etc.

#6 Schedule a weekly exercise plan.

Once you have chosen exercises you wish to try, schedule them on your calendar just like you would an important meeting, class, or date. Determine the time of day that would best work with your schedule and would be most likely for you to actually do. Decide how long you wish for each session to last and plan your daily activities accordingly.

I recommend starting with small and simple workouts. Walking for 10 minutes two or three times a day after meals will be more beneficial to your health than planning to do a 60-minute kickboxing workout at the gym and then running out of time or energy to actually do it. If you plan to take a portion of a group exercise class, check in with the instructor before class starts to get tips for how to safely participate in a portion of the class. Be prepared to do a cool down if exiting early.

You may wish to utilize an activity planner (this one focuses on adult guidelines) to help you create a workout that aligns with CDC recommendations if your healthcare provider has said that these guidelines are safe for you.

It helps to create specific, measurable goals with exercises specifically designed to focus on those goals. For example, if you want to tone your legs, you might consider walking or jogging thirty minutes daily while push-ups and doing bench presses twice weekly can help with toning one's arms.

#7 Evaluate and update your exercise plan regularly.

If you are experiencing barriers, identify them and adjust your exercise plan until you find something that works. Many people experience barriers when starting to work out - don't let this discourage you! What works this week may not work next week, so setting regular intervals to evaluate your exercise program can help you to avoid derailing and giving up.

Here are a few adjustments to consider:

• If you find that you run out of time for exercise, consider scheduling shorter workouts. Even a 10-minute exercise session can produce positive health benefits.
• If you are getting bored with your current exercise routine, consider adding variety, music, or working out with others. If you are working out on a machine like a treadmill, consider reading or listening to a book or watching a virtual hike or run at a location that motivates you. Many virtual hikes and runs can be found for free on YouTube.
• If you find it hard to get motivated, consider joining a gym, hiring a personal trainer, finding an accountability partner, or utilizing a fitness app such as Charity Miles. Helping a neighbor with yard work or assisting someone with cleaning may provide motivation for those who like to focus on helping others.
• If you keep getting sidetracked, consider working out early in the day before you get busy and ensure you have an effective backup plan in case you experience barriers. Meeting an accountability partner in person or virtually or sending that person a message detailing your workouts can help you to stay focused and on track.
• If you are getting injured, ensure you are utilizing a warm-up and cool down and check with your healthcare provider to determine your safest and best options for an exercise routine. For example, if you are injured, you may need to try seated or water workouts to allow time for the injury to heal appropriately.
• If you are not achieving your desired benefits, consider changing the type of workouts you are doing, increasing exercise times or sessions, or try working out at a harder level while keeping your workouts safe and interesting.

I hope you find these tips helpful to you as you start or re-start an exercise routine! 

You may also wish to read some of my other articles below:

• Functional Exercise - Fitness with a Practice Purpose
• Strength Training Benefits - Why is Resistance Training Recommended?
• How to Stay in Shape as the Weather Gets Colder