Making a Start on Getting Fit - It Has To Be Fun

The western world is rapidly dividing into three groups: those that love exercise, eat healthy food and are as lean as whips; those who enjoy eating, drinking and sitting-down activities and who are usually quite overweight; and those who are fairly fit, a bit overweight but who periodically take themselves in hand, reduce their calories, step up the exercise and get their weight down.

My main concern is for the people in the definitely overweight group, who are heavy enough that exercise is uncomfortable and maybe even a little risky due to the pressure it puts on their hearts. It is all very well to lecture them about losing weight, but really, what can they do about it? It is all too easy to fall back on comfort eating and ignoring the health problems. They give up, in other words.

Well there is something that can be done, and it starts from recognising that very small increases in activity can help, and that finding the fun in exercise is crucial to success.

I am a strong advocate of the benefits of walking to improving health. Walking is something that all but the most seriously overweight can do. It doesn't need special equipment, and what's often more important to may people who are self-conscious about their weight, it's something you can do without drawing attention to yourself.

The best way to start is to just go for a short walk every day. Try to find a walk you enjoy as this will immediately make the exercise a pleasure rather than a chore. Walk by a lake or river; walk in a park; walk through a market; walk round the shops; walk round an art gallery. Choose somewhere you like so you enjoy yourself.

It's important to keep your walks short to start with, as if you tackle too long a walk before you are ready for it, you won't enjoy it and are likely to give up. Just starting with ten or fifteen minutes every day, you will soon begin to gain the strength and stamina to enjoy longer walks. It is not a quick fix solution that will magically make you thin, but it is something you can build on as your fitness improves. You do need to do it every day, however.

I enjoy walking very much, and most days get out for at least one walk lasting an hour or so. I also enjoy classes including Pilates and yoga, and I know that it is the fact that I regularly walk that has made me fit enough to be able to stick to these classes. I often see less fit people trying and giving up, and the reason is usually that more demanding exercises are too tough to enjoy unless you are have built up your fitness through walking.

If you or someone you know is secretly worried about your health but don't feel that exercise is for you, I implore you to try walking. Your life could be longer, healthier and happier if you do.

More of my suggestions for making walking an enjoyable activity are included in my Kindle book, "A beginners guide to walking for pleasure" ASIN B00L3D7ENY.

Read my blog too, at http://www.clevedonmag.com

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