There are a number of reasons why an individual may decide to start exercising. Some want to start exercising to lose weight, others feel unhealthy and want to strenghten their bodies and other simply want to get out of the house and have some fun. Whatever the reason, exercising is good for you, however you should take care and consideration when exercising because it can also be dangerous, especially if you are not a very active individual.
After deciding that you want to start exercising you should spend some time planning what type of activity you would like to get involved with and start slowly. Overexertion can cause more harm than good.
Listen to your body
If you are normally not a very active person then you will undoubtedly experience some pain, muscle fatigue and soreness. Be careful not to overexert yourself, it will take weeks for your body to become accustomed to exercise. If you push yourself too hard in the beginning you will mentally fatigue yourself and cause bodily harm. Work your way up.
If you are planning on running then start by taking a light jog for about 30 minutes every other day or two. This will allow your body the time to heal. You can expect to feel some stiffness the first few days, if the pain and muscle fatigue are too much to handle then rest for a couple of days. The pain and soreness is usually a result of torn muscles. These muscles will need time to repair themselves and will not heal properly if you don't allow them time to heal.
The same is true when lifting weights. As you use your muscles to lift or stretch they will expand and become torn. They will need nutrients in order to rebuild and will begin to grow. Once they have grown you will gain muscle strength and size.
If at any time during exercise you feel extreme pain or cramping, stop. Do not continue exercising until you have given your body a chance to heal. While it is normal to experience some level of pain during activities such as weight lifting or cycling it can be dangerous, especially if you are inexperienced. Once you have become accustomed to exercising you will understand your body and your limitations.
The effects of exercise on the body
The first few weeks of exercise are usually the most defining. If you have begun running you can expect to loose the most amount of body fat during the first few weeks of your activities. Your body's metabolism will also increase, you will need to maintain your workout in order to maintain your metabolic rate and keep burning fat.
If you are running to loose weight then in addition to running you will want to alter your diet so as to take in only as much necessary nutrients as required by your body. It is best experiment with different foods to determine what works best for your body. We are not all made the same and we certainly do not function the same so be careful not to subscribe to any one particular diet plan and certainly stay away from magic pills or processed foods.
If you are trying to gain weight and/or muscle then it is best to alternate your workout. Spend a couple of days of your week on cardiovascular exercise and a couple on weight lifting (though weights are not necessary). Simple exercises such as push ups, pull ups, squats, flutter kicks and crunches can help you gain mass. To gain mass do slower repitions. For instance take longer to go down and push yourself up during push ups. This will exert more force on your muscle and cause them to tear more easily. To gain definition do faster repititions, this will cause an increase in metabolic rate and burn more fat.
Remember that exercising does also harm your body. Running can cause damage to your knees, hips and spinal cord. Each time you plant your foot on the ground you send shock waves through-out your body. It is best to run on soft ground and wear shock absorbant running shoes. Still however, running, even on soft ground with proper shoes can cause damage to your knees and internal organs. If you feel pain during running, especially in the abdomen, you should stop.
Walking is a great form of exerise and is much less harmful than running.
Exercises that involve kicking or thrusting of arms and legs should also be avoided as they are often more harmful than beneficial. Should a form of martial arts interest you then a soft form would be more beneficial such as Tai-Chi or Qi gong. Interestingly, if perfected, these forms of martial arts are much more effective in combat than any other, because of the simple principle, "use 10 ounces to deflect 100 lbs".
Most forms of martial arts utilize force against force, these are not very good forms of martial arts, especially for women or smaller individuals, a martial art such as Tai-Chi will avoid impact, such as blocking a punch with a forearm in favor of pulling and/or pushing a punch out of the way, using very little energy or force.
Full body exercise
The best exercises are those that engage the mind as well as the body. First consider why you may want to exercise in the first place. Do you feel unhealthy, unattractive, uncool? Understand that these are more mental issues than physical. Are you comparing yourself or your body with those around you? Do you want to change yourself because you are not happy with yourself?
These are some of the reasons why people decide to start exercising. While exercising is helpful it is also important to address your mental health. For this reason it is good to engage in activities that facilitate social interaction. You may find yourself surrounded by individuals experiencing the same issues as you and there is a very good chance that socializing will help everyone involved achieve peace and happiness.
Joining a sports team or league is a great way to get exercise and improve your social well-being. Additionally, many individuals find it difficult to get motivated to exercise on their own. Being part of a team or having a friend to work out with will certainly help things along.
