大象传媒

Before embarking on any new exercise regime, it is imperative to get the all clear from your doctor.

The best place to start is to write down the things you want to achieve, your goals. The goals need to be measurable so that you know when you have achieved them, and also be realistic. Another good idea is to take specific measurements like your resting heart rate, blood pressure, body fat and your body mass index (your weight in KG divided by your height in metres squared).

It is likely that all these recordings will decrease in the first four to six weeks.听 Also take circumference measurements at the sites you want to tone up, like your stomach, arms and thighs. If your resting heart rate is decreasing, then inevitably you will live longer as your heart is using less beats.

Excellent cardiovascular exercises for beginners include walking, jogging, cycling and swimming. For everyday strength fitness the best exercises to perform are for the large muscle groups like the legs, chest and back. Such exercises include squats, lunges and push-ups.

Exercising for 30 minutes three times a week will give you results aesthetically and will also benefit your heart and lungs.

Training with a friend, as part of a group are good ways to keep you motivated because it can be hard at times.

For losing weight, about one to two pounds a week of body fat is a realistic figure and also has the benefit that it will not affect your metabolism and therefore, the weight can be kept off. This is opposed to the yo-yo effect where people try to lose too much to quickly and then return to their normal eating habits.

The best types of food are those in the low to moderate glycemic index range. These are things such as wholegrain pasta, rice and bread, which once eaten will not be stored as fat as quickly as refined foods.

Complementing these foods with five to nine portions of fruit and vegetables a day and by drinking plenty of water to flush the toxins away, will give you a solid nutritional support for your new exercise and lifestyle plan.

Good luck!

Christian Fox