Getting Back in Shape
There’s a lot to be said for getting in shape. You feel better and look better, and your clothes start fitting better. But what if you haven’t done much for a while? How do you even start?
Starting your program
- Start where you are now. If you spent the last ten years on the couch flipping channels, you can gain a lot just by getting out the door and walking. As you get used to walking, increase your pace. If you are already pretty active, you will probably need cycling, running, or workout machines to challenge your body and see the effects.
- Watch your ego. It is easy to start out gung-ho.“YES, I can lift 100 pounds, and work out for hours.” You might feel good at the time, and walk out of the gym tired and excited. But by the next day you will be in real pain. Not just the usual sore muscle pain, but pain from muscle tears and overuse. This will set you back, not move you forward, and will make it harder to continue working out.
- Lift amounts that actually challenge you. For best effect, use weights heavy enough to allow you to do 6-8 repetitions. Repeat for 3 sets. If you can do 15 or so reps, your weights are too light. Too many people at the gym are working out and never see a change in their bodies. They’re probably not working at a level that challenges their muscles.
- Include some kind of cardio workout. This does not mean hours on the elliptical or treadmill. In fact, the latest research shows that people do better with intensity training of short bursts and quick rests. (I’ll write more about this later). This short, intense workout will increase lung capacity as well as cardiac output. Two really good books about this type of work out are Ready, Set, GO! by Phil Campbell and A.C.E. The 12-minute Fitness Revolution by Al Sears.
- Keep at it! You need to stick to your program long enough to see positive results. That may be just a week or two, but give your body time to change.
Starting a fitness program at any age is possible and will just about always produce benefits. Our bodies are highly adaptable and will be able to make changes at almost any age. So see what you can do and stick with it. You’ll probably end up living longer and better for your efforts.
