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Once Vou have made the commitment to get started in a home fitness
program, here are some suggestions that you mav want consider to help you
get off on the right foot and stay motivated. Realize that any new habit is
difficult to establish at first, but it can be done. Follow these steps and you'll
be on Vour way to establishing and using your home fitness center for
improved health and fitness. Enjoy the journey!
. Cet a physical exam. lf Vou have been inactiveforseveral
Vears or new
to an exercise program, be sure to consult with your family phvsician.
Especiallv if Vou're over 35, have health problems or have a history of
heart disease in your family.
. BeEin planning for your home fitness center. Set aside a portion or a room
in your house or apartment that is exclusivelv for fitness, and make sure
that it is as comfortable as possible so Vou'll enjov using it. lf Vou like music
or like to look outside while exercising, mal(e sure these things are accessi-
ble. Do not force yourself to exercise in a part of the house that isn't com-
fortable, vou will not feel motivated to exercise.
. Do you need a companion? lf you prefer to exercise with someone, find a
friend to train with who lives nearbv. Encouraging Vour spouse or children
to exercise with you is an excellent way to stav motivated and promote fam"
ily unity.
. Make fitness a part of your daily lifestyle. Include it in your dailv planner
just as Vou would anv other appointment. Keep the appointment; you'll be
glad you did.
. Use affirmations. Affirmations will help you program your subconscious
to accept new beliefs. TheV should be positive statements. "l am living a
healthier lifestvle by exercising several times per weel( at home." Repeat
vour affirmations several times per week.
I Home Fitness Planning! Worksheet
Target date to begin exercise program
Times of dav I can exercise:
Time #1
Time #2
Time #3
DaVs of the week that are good for me to workout:
Day #1
Dav #2
Day #3
Activities I would like to experiment with
Activitv #1
Activity #2
Activity #3
Exercise goals I wish to accomplish:
0 0 a l # 1
coal
tr
lh-l
ffir
ffi
Coal #3
Individuals who will support me
Person #1
In my exercrse program:
Person
Person #3
Individuals who can workout with me:
Person #'l
Person
Person #3
over the last 25 vears. ever since the introduction of Dr. Kenneth cooper's
book, Aerobics, many individuals have focused on walking, running, cvcling,
swimming, and other types of aerobic activity as their onlV means of exercise.
unfortunatelv, this has led to many of these same people neglecting other
kev components of fitness; such as strength training, flexibility and body
composition. Many of us lack the strength to carrv a full back of groceries, or
the flexibilitv to pick up our shoes without bending at the knees. In addition,
as we have aged, we have replaced muscle tissue with fat tissue.
Continued work bV Dr. Cooper at the Institute of Aerobics Research, is
showing that in addition to the need to stress our cardiovascular system, that
more attention needs to be placed on building stronger muscles and increasing
j o i n t f l e x i b i l i t y .
T h e y a r e t a l k i n g a b o u t t h e b e n e f i t s o f b a l a n c e d f i t n e s s : r e g u l a r
phvsical activitv that includes strength training and flexibilitv (stretching) in
addition to aerobic conditioning.
For manV years, "fitness" has been solely a measure of cardiovascular
(aerobic) endurance. And, while aerobic fitness is the cornerstone for health
and quality of life, there are two other components that are nearly as impor-
tant. When developing your home fitness program it is onlV appropriate that
you develop all three components in orderto achieve balanced fitness, and
thus optimal health and quality of life. The three components are:
- Muscle strength
- Cardiovascular fitness
- Flexibilitv
I Balance Fitness
Many people considering beginning a balanced home fitness program still
think "no pain, no gain." TheV usually think they have to cycle or lift weights
u n t i l t h e v a r e o v e r - t i r e d a n d t h e i r b o d v a c h e s .
T h i s i d e a o f f i t n e s s i s o u t d a t e d .
what they don't realize is that, in a short time using proper guidelines, the
initial tiredness or soreness will be replaced bV increased energy for work and
recreation and an increased sense of well-being.
since'1978, the American college of sports Medicine (AcsM) has had an
anfluence on the medical and scientific communities with its position state-
ment on "The Recommended ouantitv and Quality of Exercise for Developing
and Maintaining Fitness in Healthy Adults.' For the first time since 1978 the
AcsM has revised its recommendations on exercise for healthv adults. The
new paper published in '199'l expands and revises advice on cardiovascular
fitness and bodv composition, and now recommends that Vou add resistance
training. This is new information to those of us who have only cvcled, ran,
swam, watched our bodv weight and controlled our diet to attempt to main-
r i i n f i t n e s s .
Balanced fitness can do more to ensure a long, healthv Iife than just about
,rnythinq else known to the medical communitv today. lt's never too late to
,,t,lrt a fitn(,ss program but ideallV, Vou should build strong muscles, flexibility
,lncl i stron(l cardiovascular
system earlv in life and enter the later Vears with
V o u r t ) l r y . , r ( , r l
l ) o t e n t i a l a t i t s m a x i m u m .
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