What’s Your Workout?

Do You Have a Fitness & Exercise Routine? If not, now is the time to get moving. Small steps can really make a difference. Getting started is easy. Just review the information below for why you should exercise, what workout is right for you and how to get started.



Why Exercise?
1. Benefits include lower blood pressure and cholesterol, healthy muscles/joints and less body fat.
2. Exercise is good for mental health. You’ll feel better and have a more positive outlook on life.
3. If you want to lose weight, you have to exercise – diet alone won’t do it.

General Tips:
1. Consult your doctor before starting a workout routine.
2. Drink eight to 12 glasses of water a day. It’s also important to drink enough water while exercising.
3. Wear loose, comfortable clothing while exercising.
4. Prep your body by stretching and/or with a quick warm-up (like a five-minute walk) before working out.

Stretching:
1. Stretching relaxes the body, reduces the risk of strains and strengthens your muscles.
2. Always stretch before you work out.
3. Stretch several times during the day, especially if you have a sedentary desk job or perform repetitive physical tasks.

Diet & Fitness:
1. Minimize your fat intake, particularly saturated and trans fats, and eat more fruits and vegetables.
2. Eat a healthy amount of protein (meat, eggs, dairy), especially if you lift weights regularly.
3. Pasta, rice and whole grains are great sources of energy.

Choosing a Gym:
1. Identify your goals and look for a gym that offers the classes and equipment that suit your needs.
2. Visit several gyms and evaluate them on atmosphere, music, number of machines, hours of operation, etc.
3. Choose a gym close to home or work.
4. Take advantage of on-site nutritionists or trainers.

Pick the Right Exercise:
1. Identify your goals (weight loss, muscle building, etc.) and tailor your workouts appropriately.
2. High-impact exercises (running, cardio kick-boxing) are hard on your joints, so look into low-impact options, too.
3. If you are a social person, consider joining a racquetball or basketball league.

Get Motivated:
1. Keep a list of good reasons to work out with you at all times as a reminder.
2. A workout partner is great for encouragement.
3. Bring a music player and let music motivate you.
4. Keep a fitness log where you can record your workouts and your accomplishments.

Home Workouts:
1. Free weights, nautilus machines and stair steppers are great for regular home workouts.
2. Use your TV to get healthy with aerobic videos.
3. Fit a few sit-ups, push-ups or stairs into your day.
4. Stretch every morning to loosen your muscles and prepare for the day’s activities.

Cardio Training:
1. Cardio exercise speeds up the metabolism, burns fat, reduces the risk of heart disease and reduces stress.
2. Activities include swimming, cycling, running, walking and kick-boxing.
3. Exercise at least three times a week for 30 minutes.
4. If you’re short on time, raise the intensity of your workout.

Strength Training:
1. For general fitness, lift less weight but do more reps; for strength training, do fewer reps with more weight.
2. Maintain proper posture while lifting to reduce the risk of injury.
3. Do not try to lift too much too soon in your program. Increase the amount you lift gradually.

Alternative Workouts:
1. Yoga builds strength and stamina, while breathing exercises relax the mind and body.
2. Pilates uses resistance to strengthen the back and abdomen and, like yoga, is easy to do at home.
3. If you like an intense workout, try a martial art like Karate, Aikido or Jujitsu.

For Seniors:
1. Check with your doctor before starting an exercise program, especially if you have a chronic condition.
2. Swimming, walking, jogging and gardening are good senior cardio exercises.
3. Balance exercises are important as you get older. Try standing on one leg for 30 seconds, then longer each time.

For Kids:
1. Kids should exercise at least two or three times a week, 20-30 minutes each time.
2. Baseball, soccer, rollerblading, running, swimming and dancing are great kid-friendly activities.
3. Make sure kids have plenty of water and adult supervision when they exercise.

Injuries:
1. Always stretch before exercising.
2. Use helmets, pads, wrist braces and other protective gear as needed.
3. If you feel any pain at all, stop what you are doing.
4. Avoid “overuse” or repetitive motion injuries by using quality equipment and taking a day off between workouts.

Target Heart Rate
Your heart rate is the number of times your heart beats in a minute. When exercising, your goal should be to elevate your heart rate for 30 minutes at least three times a week if you want to maximize your cardiovascular workouts.

To calculate your Target Heart Rate for your workout, subtract your age from 220. That’s your maximum heart rate (number of beats per minute). But, the actual rate you want to achieve will depend on your age and your workout level (beginner, intermediate, advanced).


Age
Beginner
60-70%
Intermediate
70-80%
Advanced
80-90%

Beats/min.
Beats/10 sec.
Beats/min.
Beats/10 sec.
Beats/min.
Beats/10 sec.
To 19
120-140
20-24
138-155
23-25
150-174
25-29
20-25
120-140
20-24
138-155
23-25
144-174
24-29
26-29
115-137
18-22
135-152
22-25
144-166
24-29
30-34
110-133
18-22
131-147
21-24
138-162
23-27
35-39
110-130
18-21
128-142
21-23
136-160
22-26
40-44
96-126
16-21
124-139
20-23
128-151
21-25
45-49
96-123
16-20
121-135
20-22
126-146
21-25
50-54
90-119
15-19
117-132
19-22
120-142
20-23
55-59
90-116
15-19
114-130
19-21
110-139
18-23
60+
90-112
15-18
110-127
18-21
100-134
16-22

To measure your heart rate while exercising, place your middle and index fingers to your throat, to the right of center, up towards your jaw. Count the number of beats for six seconds, then multiply by 10. If you’re not reaching your Target Heart Rate, you may want to adjust your workout intensity.

