Fad diets will not help in permanent weight loss but a regular exercise routine certainly will. Exercise is important for maintaining your physical health. The benefits of exercise are both physical and mental. However, a lot of people injure themselves while exercising by pushing their bodies to the limits. This is certainly not required. The good news is that nearly everyone can exercise safely.
You must be careful doing some of the exercises, as they can injure you if not done properly. But there are several strategies that can help you exercise safely. Here are a few:
- Always Warm Up First: Your body is like a car's engine. It may not be fit to start first time and would require a little while to warm up before you can drive away. This is because if you warm up the engine first, all the oil can get round the engine and there is less chance of doing any damage to it. Doing 5 to 10 minutes of low-level aerobic activity gets your blood flowing, increases the temperature of your muscles and gets you breathing faster. This helps your body to adjust to the demanding workout that follows.
- Make the Program Progressive: Know your current fitness levels and start the program accordingly. Gradually increase the intensity and the duration of your program. A good rule of thumb is to increase duration no more than 10 to 15 percent per week.
- Avoid Weekend Warrior Syndrome: Most people don't get the time to exercise on the weekdays. So they become 'weekend warriors' and do as much as they can on weekends to eventually injure themselves. Moderate exercise every day is healthier and less likely to result in injury than heavy activity only on weekends.
- Avoid Over-Exercising: Many people who exercise push themselves to the point of injuries such as shin splints or even stress fracture. Clearly, this is not the appropriate way to exercise. Stay within your limits. If you experience severe fatigue, go home and take rest. Make sure you are not facing these common warning signs:
- Light-headedness
- dizziness, or fainting
- Chest pain
- Heart palpitations
- Joint pain
- Don't Exercise If You are Ill: Don't exercise if you don't feel well. When returning to exercise after an extended illness or injury, start off slowly, building back up gradually.
- Hydrate Yourselves: Drink water constantly. When exercising, your body should get enough water to prevent dehydration, fatigue – especially when you exercise outside. Stay hydrated to get the maximum out of the workout.
- Exercise Clothing is Must: Always choose fabrics that absorb sweat and take it away from your skin. Loose-fitting, light-weight cotton is also fine. Women should wear supportive sports bras.
- Get Professional Help: Never be shy to take lessons from an instructor. An instructor can ensure that you are using the proper form, thus avoiding overuse injuries and stress fractures.
- Cool Down: Remember, to cool down when you complete your exercise. Vigorous exercise can cause your muscles to tighten up. A tight muscle is more susceptible to injury. Make sure you include a stretching program in your exercise routine to keep your muscles supple.
If you start slow and take things one day at a time and don't overdo it, you'll be well on your way to a healthy body.
