Robin Stott-McNulty, MPT, member of the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery team, provides recommendations for starting an exercise program.
Regular exercise produces many health benefits including weight control, improved mood, better sleep and prevention of chronic disease. Finding the time and motivation can be a challenge, so make exercise a part of your daily routine by planning ahead and sticking to your routine.
Follow these recommendations to start incorporating regular exercise into your everyday life.
Start slowly and set simple, reasonable goals. If you set the bar too high, you may give up on exercise before giving it a fair chance.
- Goal 1: Walk for 10 minutes twice a day.
- Goal 2: Walk for 30 minutes five days a week and add 10 minutes of resistance training.
- Goal 3: Walk for 40 minutes five days per week and add 20 minutes of resistance training.
- Goal 4: Once you are up to 40 minutes a day, increase your pace and not your time. (Example – if you walk one mile in 40 minutes, increase your pace so you walk 1.2 miles in 40 minutes).
- Wake up 20 minutes early and take a brisk walk to start the day off on the right foot.
- Use 10 minutes of your lunch break to go up and down the stairs or walk outside.
- Park in the furthest spot in the parking lot.
- Put on music and dance around the house. Dance is a great form of exercise!
- Take an exercise class with a friend.
- Lift hand weights or stretch while watching your favorite television program.
- Go for a walk with your family. If you cannot walk outdoors, walk in the mall or do an exercise video.
- Schedule a regular time to exercise just as you would an appointment or meeting and hold yourself to it.
- Record your daily activities in a journal.
– Robin Stott-McNulty, MPT
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