Robin, a healthy forty-six year old working mother of two college students needed to lose thirty pounds. She had been on many diets in the past but always gained the weight back. By following a custom tailored exercise plan along with only slight changes to her nutrition she achieved her goal and has never felt better.
How did she do it?
After getting her Doctor's approval she enlisted the help of a Health and Fitness Professional. Together they designed a custom exercise plan by looking closely at the following components of long term fitness success.
A. Frequency - How many days per week do you need to exercise? This depends on how active you are on a daily basis, your health concerns and your fitness level. Robin rates her daily activity level a two, five is very active. She was cleared by her physician to start at a basic level exercise program. Her program requires her to move more on a daily basis so she will exercise five to six times per week.
B. Intensity - How hard do you need to work to get results without placing yourself at risk for injury or unnecessary aches and pain? When was the last time you were committed to exercising regularly? If it was more than two years ago you'll need to start from scratch at a level that is just slightly above your resting heart rate. Investing in a heart rate monitor is a very good idea. Robin wasted no time in getting this all important tool to keep her in the prescribed heart rate zone.
C. Time - How long should each exercise session last? Starting with easy aerobic exercise (walking is a good example) for approximately ten to fifteen minutes. Perform stretching, strength and conditioning exercises for about twenty to thirty minutes or continue doing aerobic exercises at a slightly higher heart rate level. Finish with at least five minutes of easy walking to cool down.
D. Exercise - What type of exercise is best? The best exercise is the exercise you can stick with over the long haul and not injure yourself. Think about what you do daily starting with walking, sitting, standing, reaching, bending, lifting, carrying and most importantly, breathing. This type of exercising will make you more functional on a daily basis. In the gym it is called cardiovascular, flexibility and strength exercises.
When combined properly, F.I.T.E. (frequency, intensity, time, exercise) will keep you injury free, improve your health, slow the aging process and burn off excess body fat.
Roy Gutierrez is the owner of a successful personal training business in Florida. He has been helping his personal training and weight loss clients achieve their goals for more than fifteen years. You can receive his free online e-newsletter when you visit www.stayfitafterforty.com for more information. | |
