Fitness: Getting and Staying Active
Becoming More Active
Are you ready?
Before you increase your activity, take a look at where you are now. Ask yourself these questions:
- Is physical activity safe for me? For some people, some forms of physical activity might be unsafe or should only be started after a talk with a doctor. If you have any concerns, talk to your doctor before you start any exercise or fitness program. He or she may want to help you build an exercise plan
(What is a PDF document?) matched to your needs.
- What challenges get in my way? You may have barriers in your life that get in the way of becoming more active. These may be a lack of time, having no one to exercise with, or fear of getting hurt.
Sometimes doctors automatically schedule routine heart tests because they think that's what patients expect. But experts say that routine heart tests can be a waste of time and money. For more information, see Heart Tests: When Do You Need Them?
Changing your thinking
If you need to make some lifestyle changes to become more active, you'll have more success if you first change the way you think about certain things:
- Don't compare yourself to others. Healthy bodies come in all shapes, sizes, and ages. One person's choice of activity won't be right for another person. Some people use fitness to become Olympic champions, while others use it to feel as good as possible.
- Think positive. You can help yourself succeed just by thinking that you can succeed. If you tell yourself negative things—"I can't do this. Why bother?"—change will be harder. But if you encourage yourself with thoughts like "I can do this," you can raise your odds of success. For more information, see:
Changing your habits
Making any kind of change in the way you live your daily life is like being on a path. The path leads to success. Here are the first steps on that path:
- Have your own reason for making a change. If you do it because someone else wants you to, you're less likely to have success. Know why it's important to you to meet your goals.
- Set goals. Include long-term goals as well as short-term goals that you can measure easily.
- Think about what might get in your way, and prepare for slip-ups.
- Get support from your family, your doctor, your friends—and from yourself.
- Measure improvements to your health. For example, keep track of your blood pressure, cholesterol, or blood sugar. Or see how you can shorten the time it takes to walk a mile.
Learn more about each step:
1. Have your own reasons for making a change
Your reason for wanting to make a lifestyle change is really important. Don't do it just because your spouse or boyfriend or parent wants you to. What makes you want be more active?
- Do you want to feel better, have more energy, and enjoy life?
- Do you have a specific health concern (bone and muscle strength, heart health, mood, or something else)?
- Do you want to feel better about how you look?
- Do you have another reason for wanting to do this?
It’s not easy to make changes. But taking the time to really think about what will motivate or inspire you will help you reach your goals.
One Man's Story:
John, 54
"My mantra is 'Find a way to exercise.' It has made all the difference in my life."—John
2. Set goals you can reach
Ask yourself if you feel ready to start taking steps toward big goals. If you're not ready yet, try to pick a date when you will start making small changes. Any healthy change—no matter how small—is a good start.
When you are clear about your reasons for wanting to make a change, it’s time to set your goals:
- Long-term goals: These are large goals that you want to reach in 6 to 12 months. Let’s say that you want to meet the recommendation of doing moderate activity, like brisk walking, for at least 2½ hours a week.
- Short-term goals: But you may not be ready for 2½ hours a week just yet. What are the short-term goals that will help you get there? In this case, your first small goal might be to walk for just 10 minutes every other day. After a week, you can set a new goal by adding a few minutes to your walk or adding another day to your schedule.
- Updated goals: It will help you stay motivated if you track your progress and update your goals as you move forward.
One Woman's Story:
Kris, 56
"Every time you make that goal, you do a little bit better, or you stretch a little bit farther. It makes you feel pretty good about yourself."—Kris
3. Measure how your health has improved
- Before you start, ask your doctor to check your cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and maybe your blood sugar. Have them checked again 3 to 6 months after you start increasing your activity.
- Cholesterol and triglyceride levels can tell you if your new activities are lowering your risk for heart disease.
- Blood pressure can tell you if your activity level is lowering your risk for heart disease and stroke.
- If you have diabetes, blood sugar levels can tell you if your new activity levels are helping to control your diabetes.
- Look for changes in your fitness level. For example, can you walk longer and on more days than when you started? Can you climb a flight of stairs without getting as tired or out of breath? Can you lift a heavier weight? Do you have more energy?
- Keep a record of what you do. Circle the days on a calendar when you get a little extra physical activity. If you want a clearer record, use a notebook to write down your activity every day, including informal things like walking an extra block to work or playing a game of soccer in the yard with your kids. Now and then, read entries from months ago to see your progress.
4. Prepare for slip-ups
It’s perfectly normal to try to change a habit, go along fine for a while, and then have a setback. Lots of people try and try again before they reach their goals.
What are the things that might cause a setback for you? If you have tried to become more active before, think about what helped you and what got in your way.
By thinking about these barriers now, you can plan ahead for how to deal with them if they happen.
Barriers to getting active "I'm too busy."
"I rarely leave my house."
"I don't have the money to join a gym or buy equipment."
"It's too cold, or too hot."
"I might be too tired."
"I'm too old. I'm too out of shape. I'll look silly. I don't like to exercise."
Use a personal action plan
5. Get support
The more support you have for making a lifestyle change, the easier it is to make that change.
- Get a partner. It’s motivating to know that someone is going through the same thing you are and maybe is counting on you to help him or her succeed. That person can also remind you how far you've come.
- Get friends and family involved. They can exercise with you or encourage you by saying how they admire you. Don't be afraid to tell family and friends that their encouragement makes a big difference to you.
- Join a class or workout group. People in these groups often have some of the same barriers you have. They can give you support when you don't feel like staying with your plan. They can boost your morale when you need a lift.
- Give yourself pats on the back. When you feel like giving up, don't waste energy feeling bad about yourself. Remember your reason for wanting to change, think about the progress you've made, and give yourself a pep talk and a pat on the back.
You can use this personal action plan
 Go to previous section |  Go to top of page |  Go to next section |
| Author: | Debby Golonka, MPH | Last Updated: August 26, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Heather Chambliss, PhD - Exercise Science/Weight Management | |
 | ||
