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Starting an Exercise Program:
The Right Time Is Now

by Mary Ellen Copeland, M.S., M.A.

continued

Choosing the Right Exercise Program for You

When setting up an exercise program that is right for you, focus your attention on what you enjoy. If you are the kind of person who enjoys team support, you may want to sign up with the local softball league for some of your exercise. If solitary exercise feels best to you, think of things you can do by yourself. You may enjoy hiking but not swimming. A brisk ride on a bicycle may be perfect for you. Is it swimming, hiking, dancing, working out on exercise machines while watching videos, skating, outdoor chores like raking the lawn or cutting wood, walking, yoga, etc., etc., etc.? Any kind of exercise is acceptable!

You can do the same kind of exercise every day or vary it according to the weather, what you feel like and the things you need to get done. You may spend part of your exercise time doing one kind of exercise and part of the time doing another. You might work in the garden and then go for a walk. This makes exercise more interesting for some of us.

Health clubs are wonderful for people who enjoy exercising with others in an atmosphere that is pleasant and sociable. Joining a health club is a wonderful – but not a necessary – treat, should you be able to afford it. Don't put off exercise until you have enough money to join a health club. Or until you can purchase expensive exercise clothing or equipment. Most exercise doesn't take special clothing or equipment – just a lot of willpower.

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It may help you to decide what kind of exercise you are going to do if you make a list of exercise options and post it in a convenient place. Then you can look at the list each day and decide how you are going to get your exercise that day. If it is raining, you may want to dance to your favorite CD rather than take your usual walk. If the softball team doesn't have a game, you may want to catch up on outdoor chores.

Walking Is a Good Choice for Many

Walking deserves special focus because it is often the easiest, most convenient and best exercise for many people. It works well because:

• No special equipment is necessary, except for a good pair of walking shoes (which you should have anyway).
• It doesn't cost anything.
• It is non-competitive, so old feelings of not being as good as others don't come up.
• You can walk anytime, anywhere that is safe. You may walk on the track at the local school after school hours. I find that walking on one of the rural walking trails or abandoned roads in our area has the added benefit of communion with nature.
• You can walk in whatever you happen to be wearing.
• You don't have to change your clothes or take a shower after walking.
• It is very unlikely that you will incur the type of overuse injuries that occur with other types of exercise.

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