New To Fitness? Here's How to Start

As a trainer, I have heard every possible reason as to why someone cannot fit exercise into their routine. Admittedly, many of these reasons are legitimate.

With media and the fitness industry bombarding us with information, it is often difficult to find a starting point. It can be a challenge to find the time with the amount of everyday obligations such as work and kids. I am also guilty of delaying my gym routine for household chores.

However, with a dog and a toddler, I am grateful that vacuuming with vigor, according to the Huffington Post, will help burn calories. Here is what contributor Jeanette Pavini had to say.

“Ever break a sweat while vacuuming your house? That's because you're burning around 65 calories for every 15 minutes of mopping, sweeping or vacuuming. To intensify the upper body workout, consider wearing wrist weights.”

Of course for those of you that are just embarking on an exercise routine, it's important to prevent overtaxing your body in the beginning. The Mayo Clinic has these suggestions.

“If you're just beginning to exercise, start cautiously and progress slowly. If you have an injury or a medical condition, consult your doctor or a physical therapist for help designing a fitness program that gradually improves your range of motion, strength and endurance.”

I suggest a brisk walk three times a week for 20 minutes to get you started, and then you can progress to a faster pace and longer duration. For us women, lifting weights is also important. I've designed three short workouts which you can do at home on the alternate days.

You will need a long resistance band with handles, a set of dumbbells and a resistance ball for these exercises. Each day you should do every exercise 12-15 times, then move onto the next. Repeat the cycle two or three times.

DAY 1 – Walking and Abdominals

ABDOMINALS ON BALL (15-20 reps each)

Crunches
Sit on the ball and walk your feet forward until the ball is resting under your mid or lower back.
Place hands behind your head.
Contract your abdominals as you exhale and lift your torso off the ball.
Lower yourself back down.

Reverse Crunch with Ball
Lie on your back on floor and bend knees at 90 degrees, resting legs on the ball.
Place hands at your sides.
Get a good grip on the ball with your legs and lift your lower body off the floor.
Slowly lower ball back down.

DAY 2 - Back and Biceps

Standing Reverse Fly
Loop the resistance band up high around a sturdy object such as a bannister or post at shoulder height.
Crisscross band and grip the handles one in each hand.
Your feet should be spaced apart with one foot in front of the other and your knees slightly bent.
Hold arms straight out in front of you with a side grip on band.
Keep a slight bend in your elbows as you begin to pull your arms straight out to the sides of your body.
Focus on pulling from the shoulders and not the elbows.
Continue through the range of motion until your hands are in line with the sides of the body.
Decrease tension slowly, while returning to the starting position and repeat.

Dumbbell Curls
Hold weights slightly out toward side of body, palms facing out.
Bend arms in bringing palms towards shoulders.
Slowly lower back down.

Band Seated Side Row
Loop the band around a sturdy object.
Have a seat on the ball and hold band at waist level in a side grip.
Row band back, pointing elbows behind and keeping elbows in tight.

Side Bicep Curls
Sit on the ball with feet flat on the floor.
Hold weights in both hands at sides, palms facing out.
Bend arms in bringing palms towards shoulders.
Slowly lower back down.

DAY 3 – Walking and Abdominals

ABDOMINALS ON BALL 15-20 reps each – 2-3 sets

Band Crunches
Loop the band around a sturdy object at the same height as the ball.
Crisscross the band and grip the handles, one in each hand from behind.
Sit on the ball with your back to the band and walk your feet forward until the ball is resting under your mid or lower back.
Straighten out your arms holding band straight behind.
Contract your abdominals as you exhale and lift your torso off the ball, using the band for resistance.
Lower yourself back down.

Obliques
Sit on the ball and walk your feet forward until the ball is resting under your mid or lower back.
Bring your arms behind your head and slowly crunch up and to the side, using your obliques.

DAY 4 – Chest and Triceps

Band Flys
Loop band around a sturdy object about shoulder height.
Turn away from the band grabbing each handle so the band is behind you.
Squeeze chest, pulling band in until hands meet, while keeping arms almost straight.

Dumbbell Tricep Kickback
Place one hand on the back of a chair.
Hold weight in opposite hand.
Bring leg of weighted side back into a split stance.
Bend over from waist, supporting your weight on chair.
Keeping abs in, row elbows up high past rib cage for starting position.
Extend weight back, straightening arm and repeat.

Ball Chest Press
Lie on ball holding dumbbells in an overhand grip, arms bent at sides in a 90 degree angle.
Press dumbbells up and in contracting chest. Bend arms down again to starting position.

Ball Tricep Pushup
Kneeling down, place both hands close together on the ball with your arms almost straight.
Slowly lower yourself down until your elbows are at 90-degrees.
Pause for a second and slowly push yourself back up.

DAY 5– Walking and Abdominals

ABDOMINALS ON BALL 15-20 reps each – 2-3 sets

Weighted Crunches
Sit on the ball with weight in hand and walk your feet forward until the ball is resting under your mid or lower back.
Straighten out arms holding weight straight up.
Contract your abdominals as you exhale and lift your torso off the ball.
Lower yourself back down.
If weight becomes too heavy, modify by just keeping your arms straight without holding the weight.

Roll Crunch
Start by lying face up on the floor, with your knees bent.
Place the ball against your upper thighs.
Lift your shoulders off the floor, while slowly rolling the ball up your thighs.
Use your abdominals to perform the contraction.
Slowly lower yourself back down to the floor.

DAY 6– Shoulders and Legs

Ball Dumbbell Side Raises
Sit on the ball with dumbbells at sides in a side grip.
Raise arms up to shoulder level, keeping a slight bend in elbow and wrists straight.
Lower arms and repeat.

Weighted Ball Squats
Place ball on a wall directly behind mid-lower back.
Hold weights for added resistance in either hand at sides.
Lean against the ball (slightly) and bend knees, lowering the body until knees are at a 90 degree angle.
Push back to starting position.

Ball Dumbbell Overhead Press
Sit on ball with arms bent at a 90 degree angle holding dumbbells.
Hands should be in an overhand grip, with palms forward.
Slowly raise arms up and in, using a pressing motion.
Lower back down to 90 degrees.

Hamstring Squeeze
Lie on your back on the floor and bend knees at 90 degrees resting legs on ball.
Ball should be touching the back of you thighs.
Trap ball in this position by squeezing it between your heels and buttocks.
Slowly lift your lower body slightly off the floor.
Hold and squeeze for about 5 seconds.
Slowly lower ball back down.

Sources:

“Fitness program: 5 steps to get started – MayoClinic.org.” The Mayo Clinic. Web 19 Aug. 2014.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/fitness/in-depth/fitness/art-20048269

“How to Fit Fitness Into What You Already Do Every Day – Jeanette Pavini – HuffingtonPost.com.” The Huffington Post. Web 19 Aug. 2014.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeanette-pavini/health-and-fitness_b_5660223.html?utm_hp_ref=fitness

Joanne Sgro-Killworth is a Television Fitness Expert, Certified Personal Trainer and Sport Nutritionist and Publicist. She is Certified in Pilates, Pre-natal/Post-Partum, Yoga and Senior Fitness. She specializes in Weight Loss, Post-Rehab and Post Cancer Training.

Joanne's fitness plans, recipes and lifestyle advice are available globally on her website http://www.happiwoman.com/ She resides in the Phoenix, AZ area with her husband and son, where she runs her fitness and publicity business, JSK PR, http://www.jskpr.com/

Reviewed August 19, 2014
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

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Tags:

• Obesity
• Weight Loss