by Bob Lachniet
President -
Fitness 4 Home Superstore
Whether you’re new to exercising, or you’ve just never really put a plan together for your existing cardio workouts, the best way to make cardio exercise a habit is to put together a plan that you can achieve.
Creating a schedule of regular times that you’ll commit to your cardio exercise program is important – in fact, it’s just as important as what kind of cardio exercise you do. So, here’s how to put that plan together.
1. Remember that the best time to exercise is when you CAN exercise. Choose a time that works best for you, whether it’s in the morning, over lunch, or at the end of the day.
2. Write them down – treat them as an appointment! And, if you write it down, you’ll find you’ll be more committed to following through with your workouts!
3. Now, choose your exercise. If you just purchased a treadmill, maybe start with a walking program (you can always advance to jogging or running as your fitness level improves).
4. If you have any reservations so far about the plan you’ve built – now’s the time to talk to your doctor and get their final approval –BEFORE you put your plan into action!
5. Now – time to start your workouts. Make sure you start each workout with at least 5 minutes of stretching for your warm up – and at the end, at least 5 minute cool down and stretching as well.
6. Start slow. If you find that you can only start with 5 to 10 minutes, start there. And, once your workout is done, write down your results!
7. And, finally – add a couple of minutes to every workout!
What to watch out for
Now that you’ve got your plan in action, remember that your goal is to improve your health. If you feel like your resting heart rate is higher than usual, you feel tired all the time, you dread your workouts, or you can’t sleep, you might be overtraining.
If that happens, take a couple days off and ease back into a light program. Maybe try a different exercise routine. And, don’t be afraid to stop for a couple days and concentrate on something else. You’ll find yourself re-energized for your workouts – just don’t forget to start back up again!
