There are no two ways about it: Exercise is a beneficial component of a weight-healthy lifestyle. Exercise can help you lose weight as well as maintain weight loss, and it can also improve your overall health, lift your mood, help you sleep better, and relieve stress. How can you make exercise part of your daily routine? Take the work out of your workout by developing an exercise plan you enjoy.
To ease into a regular exercise regimen, Dr. Agatston recommends the following:
Start with a brisk 20-minute daily walk. If you don't have a 20-minute block of time to spare, try two brisk 10-minute walks per day. "Any exercise is better than none," says Dr. Agatston, preventive cardiologist and author of The South Beach Diet, "so don't use lack of time as an excuse not to get moving." Gradually work your way up to a 30-minute walk each day — either in one session or in shorter intervals.
Include 10 to 15 minutes of stretching to prevent injury and increase flexibility.
Alternate cardiovascular activities with 10 to 20 minutes of strength training — activities designed to increase muscle strength, endurance, and power. Dr. Agatston recommends core training — moves that target your abs, lower back, pelvis, and hips. The results go beyond increased muscle strength. According to Dr. Agatston, "Strengthening your core will make it easier for you to perform other activities, like lifting a child, lugging groceries, or running to catch a train." He adds, "These moves help keep you injury-free, and that's the key to being active throughout your life." (Members of SouthBeachDiet.com can sign up for the South Beach Diet Fitness Club to learn some smart core moves.)
If you reach a weight-loss plateau, try adding a short bout of more intense activity to your workout. For example, try walking a route with hills or alternating between brisk walking and jogging.
Regardless of how much weight you lose, when you follow an exercise routine you should begin to feel more energetic, more rested, and less stressed.
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