EN
32
How you begin to exercise will vary from person to person. If you have not exercised for a
long period of time, have been inactive for a while, or are severely overweight you MUST
start slowly, increasing your exercise time gradually, by perhaps only a few minutes for
each session per week.
Combine a carefully structured nutritious diet with a simple but effective exercise
routine and this can help make you feel better, look better and will almost certainly
enable you to enjoy life more.
Aerobic Fitness
Aerobic exercise is simply defined as any sustained activity that increases the supply of
oxygen to your muscles via the blood pumped by your heart. With regular exercise,
your cardiovascular system will become stronger and more efficient. Your recovery
rate i.e. the time taken for your heart to reach its normal resting level, will also
decrease.
Initially you may only be able to exercise for a few minutes each day. Do not hesitate to
breathe through your mouth should you need more oxygen. Use the "talk test". If you
cannot carry on a conversation while exercising, you are working too hard! However,
aerobic fitness will be gradually built up with regular exercise, over the next six to eight
weeks.
Do not be discouraged if it takes longer than this to begin to feel less lethargic, everyone
is different and some will achieve their targets quicker than others. Work at your own,
comfortable pace and the results will come. The better your aerobic fitness the harder
you will have to work to stay in your target zone.
Exercising Information
Warm Up
A successful exercise programme consists of three parts, Warm Up, Aerobic Exercise
and Cool Down. Never start a training session without warming up. Never finish one
without cooling down correctly. Per form between five and ten minutes of stretching
before starting your workout to prevent muscle
strains, pulls and cramps.
Aerobic Exercise Session
Those new to exercise should exercise no more than every other day
to start with. As your fitness level increases, increase this to 2 in every 3 days. When
you are comfortable with your routine, exercise for 6 days per week. Always take at
least one day off per week.
Exercising in your Target Zone
To ensure that your heart is working in its exercise target zone, you need to be able to
take your pulse. If you do not have a pulse monitor (either from the product you are
using or a proprietary independent unit) you will need to locate the pulse in your
carotid artery. This is situated in the side of the neck and can be felt by using the index
and middle fingers. Simply count the number of beats you feel in 10 seconds and
then multiply by six to get your pulse rate. This should be taken before you start to
