Exercises to Lose Weight: Ways to Get Fit and Active.

If you haven’t exercised in years, get medical advice before you do. And take it easy to start. And the easiest way of all is to go for a walk every day.

Put on your shoes, set off out the front door, pick a direction, and walk. Set your own pace, rest when you need to, and keep going until you’re ready to turn back. Simple as that.

Aches and pains? Poor baby. Keep going. Go far enough and the endorphins kick in, and the pain will go away.

Bad neighbourhood? Get a treadmill. Or join a gym and use theirs. There’s always a way around a problem.

Does walking work as a weight loss exercise? If you do it regularly, yes. Every day means every day, rain or shine, and I’d suggest a minimum of forty minutes. Excess weight causing trouble with your knees and making walking hard? See your doctor. They won’t get better while the excess weight’s still there. Swimming is a good alternative until they stop causing trouble. Got a problem with people seeing you in a swimsuit? Tough. Learn to deal with it.

When you’re ready to step it up a notch, what comes next?

Running. You don’t need much in the way of gear except good running shoes. Don’t skimp on these – buy the best you can afford. If you have the time and the inclination, go to a speciality running store and get the salesman to help you pick out the right kind of shoes for you. They should look at your foot type and whether you’re overpronating or supinating, and help you pick the size and type of shoe that best suits you.

Again – just step out of your front door, pick a direction and run. Take it easy, take it steady, and slow to a stroll when you have to. You’re not in a race. You’re working on your fitness and boosting your metabolism. Wear comfortable gear, run for as long as it feels good, and head home for a warm down and a shower. The best thing about any exercise routine, if you stick at it, is that it not only does you good, it also feels good. There’s a hump to get over when you first start, particularly if you’ve been sedentary for a long time, but soon enough it gets to feel okay. Blood rushing, lungs burning, the healthy tingle of a working body…I’m sorry, I seem to have come over all enthusiastic.

If you’re really, totally, hard core serious about getting in the best shape of your life, what’s the ultimate exercise?

Weight training. Get a set of free weights, or go to a gym, and get the instructor to help you work out a routine you can do two or three times a week to build muscle all over and bulk up. You might end up weighing more than you did when you started – but it’ll all be lean muscle, and that looks good. On anyone. Women, men – building muscle never looks bad. Being strong and healthy is the best look you can get. It’s the best fashion accessory in the world; when you look ripped, you can look good dressed in old newspapers.

There’s a warning note to sound about all of these activities, and that is don’t overdo it. Some people replace one addiction with another, and if you find yourself down the gym every spare waking moment, it’s time to step back and review. Overtraining is as bad as not training at all from a health point of view. Whatever exercise routine you settle on, make sure you complement it with adequate food and plenty of rest.

What you’re doing is replacing old, bad habits with new, good ones. Getting in shape is as easy as getting overweight and unfit. You just have to make changes and stick with them. Put that way it sounds easy – and it is. What’s harder? Getting out of breath three times a week going for a short run, or getting out of breath just reaching for the TV remote? Which is more work? Lifting weights for forty-five minutes in the gym, or dragging an obese body around all day? Being unfit is hard work. Being fit and healthy isn’t.

It could be that this isn’t a real-world solution for you. Going to the gym is probably the last thing on your mind after a hard day at work, or getting the kids to bed. Not everyone has the time or the freedom to work an exercise routine into their week. So what can you do? Make full use of the time you do have, and inject exercise into your day wherever you can. Getting off public transport two stops early and walking the rest of the way counts. As does taking the stairs instead of the lift, or spending an hour working in the garden. If you find yourself slumped in front of the TV, ask yourself whether or not it might be a good idea to take the kids on at football for half an hour, or take them down the park with a Frisbee. Walk the dog, or just take a stroll around the neighbourhood. It all counts.

Last word? Regular exercise – any kind of physical activity – will make you more fit and active and give you improved mobility. There is no downside to being in good shape.

Great for burning calories.