How often have you heard the statement “Use it or Loose it”? What about the now famous Nike slogan “Just Do It”? If you have heard these or any number of other slogans they make it seem that getting out and running a marathon is a matter of jumping up, putting on some running shoes and going for a leisurely 30 mile run.

Compare that to starting out with a new workout routine whereby you start by doing some exercise, maybe walking/running a mile, cycling or any number of other activities, only feel like you have been hit by a car the next morning.  Rest assured that you are not the only one that has gone through this experience. What our faced paced, instant gratification society has failed to explain to people is that “Just Do It” is not reality and unfortunately what you are feeling that next morning is reality.

Having spent a number of years working out in various gyms the same thing happens year after year. Starting in January and running through about the end of February getting a spot to workout is at a premium, but by the time March roles around things begin to thin out. Where does everyone go? In short human nature is such that we are not going to do something that doesn’t feel good, at least not for very long. Unfortunately, all of the marketing campaigns out there would like you to believe that good health and staying physically fit is simply a matter of joining the local gym/spa and starting a workout routine.

That is by far the worst thing someone can be thinking when starting out on an exercise regimen. That wasn’t the case when you were 20 years old and now that we are all much older that certainly is not the case. If any of the above rings true to you, below you will find some helpful tips that might just help increase your odds of success next time you begin to exercise. Now for those of you who are successfully maintaining a workout regimen don’t checkout as there may be some helpful tips here that will help you stay on the road to success and a much healthier you!

First of all you need to know that starting out on a new workout regimen is going to cause some soreness, stiff muscles, and general aches and pains. Sure we have all heard that working out is important for out health, that it will give you increased energy, improved bone density, and the list goes on. What they failed to tell you is that these things do not happen in the first couple of weeks. If all goes well you need to get through the first 6 to 8 weeks of any new workout routine before you are going to start seeing these benefits. Yes, you read that correctly, that is 6 to 8 weeks before you will start to see benefits. 

That is exactly why what we are talking about here is a healthy lifestyle. We were designed by our maker to move. At our very lowest level in our DNA we are wired to exercise, get certain nutrients and in with all of these things in place we are constantly rebuilding our bodies. Your body is a miracle at work replacing at a minimum of 300 billion cells everyday and as you can imagine if you create 300 billion healthy cells today, tomorrow and moving forward you will in a very real sense grow younger.

Now that we know we are not all capable of jumping into a pair of running shoes are starting out on our first marathon with no training, let’s look at how to get there. Well maybe not running a marathon, but having the energy, strength and stamina to do the things that we want to do.

Start out SLOW! Rome was not built in a day and you certainly are not going to transform your body in one day of working out.
Start with a long term vision that this is a new part of your life. Find something that you enjoy and stick with it. As many of us have heard variety is the spice of life. This is very true with or workouts. Do different things from time to time, but stay active. If you have spouse and they will participate with you the chances of your success just went up 10 fold. Walking, running, cycling, weight training, swimming, rowing, yoga, dancing and this list could go on forever.

If at all possible try to include some type of weight bearing exercises a couple of times a week as these are great for increased muscle density and there is countless studies showing that increased muscle is imperative for longevity. This does not mean going out and trying to become the next Arnold, but it does mean stressing the muscle to the point that they know they are still needed and expected to work.

Additionally, stretching is a must with any workout program as this helps protect the joints by improving range of motion thereby synovial fluid production which increases ligament strength/health.

Lastly and very important make sure that you are getting the proper nutrition. Even with the best of diets you simply can not get all of the nutrients that your body needs to maintain a healthy lifestyle and more importantly and solid anti-aging program. While there is not ample room to cover this here, please note that according to many experts the recommended daily allowance (RDA) does not provide adequate nutrition for the majority of our population and that certainly applies to someone who is staying active with any kind of a workout routine. As such your typical one a day type vitamin is like taking a glass of water to a forest fire and trying to put the fire out.

The same rules apply that have always applied: “Use It or Loose It”, but  let’s be smart about the way we use it.