EXERCISE

While changing your diet is a great start in your Journey, it may not be enough. Adding exercise can help to speed up the process.

Now, exercise does not have to be a full-blown, 5-day a week, 5 hours a day exercise plan!

Start by walking. Start slow – walk around the block. As time goes on, increase your speed and distance.

If you are up to it and your doctor agrees, do more cardiovascular exercises at a gym or the local YMCA.

One key to exercise is to vary your routine. Not only will that help you from getting bored stiff doing the same thing over and over, it helps keep your body from “learning” that routine and compensating. If you do the same thing over and over, your body becomes trained. So, keep it guessing!

Some great ways of exercising:

Bicycling, swimming, racquetball, tennis, walking, running, yoga, Pilates, weight training, aerobics, nature walks, fitness programs at your local gym or the YMCA.

There are many ways you can exercise. You just have to find one that you really like!

But the key here is to do something! Even just walking is MUCH better than sitting on the couch.

A note on exercise: don’t be fooled into thinking if you have stomach fat that simply doing sit-ups are going to cure it! Fat loss doesn’t work that way – you cannot target a specific area for fat loss! As you exercise, the fat will come off from wherever it comes off. You can’t choose the area. Sorry!

Also, as with changing your diet, you need to slowly increase your exercise routines. Starting off, you will not be able to run a marathon! So, start slow and build up to that marathon over time.

A side benefit of exercise is that not only will you be helping your heart; you will be helping your mind. HOW? Exercise can help relieve stress and tension!