6 Tips to Start Exercising

You know exercise benefits your health—a lot. Yet between busy work and family schedules, not to mention lack of experience, you may not know how or where to begin.

Before you let exercise slip off your must-do list, consider this: Exercise may be as powerful as medication for many health conditions. Studies show that exercise offers perks similar to anti-inflammatory drugs, insulin medication, anxiety pills and weight loss aids. Working out can make such a big difference for your health, it’s worth starting even if you already have diabetes or heart disease.

Commit today with these six steps.

1. Start Moving Every Day

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Physical Activity Guidelines recommend a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week. Moderate means brisk walking, ballroom dancing, biking through your neighborhood, mowing the lawn—any activity that gets your body moving and blood pumping.

If you’re currently fairly sedentary, this may seem like a lot at first. But do a little something every day and you’ll be surprised by how quickly you hit 150 minutes a week. “The number isn’t that overwhelming when you break it down—it’s just 22 minutes per day,” says Mimi Jones, R.N., a cardiac nurse and exercise physiologist who teaches fitness in the Mills-Peninsula Cardio-Metabolic program. You can also start with shorter intervals and increase gradually.

The trick to boosting your daily physical activity level is finding an activity you love; you’ll be much more likely to prioritize and keep it in your daily routine.

2. Use a Pedometer

“One of the best ways to succeed in moving more is monitoring your progress, with a fitness tracker,” Jones says. Sure, you can invest in a  fancy fitness tracker if a high-dollar investment inspires you to exercise. But Jones says a simple pedometer that counts your daily steps may provide all the motivation you need.

“I don’t believe pedometers ‘push you,’ per se,” she explains. “They are motivating because they track your activity and let you see the results of what you are doing.” Aim for 10,000 steps a day and work up from there. Tack on additional movement to your routine by taking the stairs, parking your car at the far end of the lot or pacing around your home or office while talking on the phone.

3. Boost Your Effort

While all physical activity benefits your overall health, work up to include a dedicated exercise plan, Jones says.

“People often say, ‘I’m not sedentary; I move around while cleaning my house, going to doctors’ appointments and doing yard work.’ But I think exercise is a time that you intentionally set aside in your day to be really active.”

Before starting any exercise program, consult with your doctor or other fitness professional to set your primary goal. Then sign up for an aerobic-focused class that sounds fun to you at your local rec center; you’ll get professional guidance to avoid injuries, and you’ll turbocharge your fitness.

4. Incorporate Strength Training

Once you’ve begun a regular aerobic exercise routine—swimming, running, speed walking, dancing or any activity that moves your whole body and pumps your heart—consider adding strength training. Cardiovascular exercise and strength training both boost heart health. Combined, you may double the benefit.

“Studies discuss the cardiovascular benefits of doing only aerobic training, doing only strength training and doing both,” Jones says. “The best improvements in heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose control and aging occur with both.” She suggests strength training with resistance bands or weights at least twice a week.

Along with supporting your ticker, strength training also promotes proper posture and keeps your bones strong.

5. Work the Weight Off

If your goal is to shed pounds, you’ll need to step up your game. “Going to the gym three times a week and working out for 30 minutes isn’t going to cut it,” Jones says. Federal guidelines recommend at least 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week for weight loss.

6. Be Flexible

Set achievable workout and fitness goals. Then evaluate how you’re doing every week or two. Can you stick with it? Are you enjoying it? If not, start over. You may cycle through many solutions before you find one you like and that works for you. “This last piece is very important,” Jones says. “A lot of people stop and give up. You might have to think outside of your box to find the form of exercise that works long-term.”