Healthy Lifestyle: Setting Goals

Health & Fitness

Now that you have made the decision to live a healthier lifestyle and become fitter the important thing to remember is to stick with your routine so that it becomes second nature.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re just starting out on an exercise plan or if you are building up a plan you already started, it is very important that you have goals in mind, it always helps to keep a journal of your exercise routine and plan ahead.
Write down how many minutes you do per exercise and set realistic goals for the coming week or month. Try to increase the amount you do per week, if you are following an exercise plan that includes repetitions then try and increase the repetitions by say 5 a week.
For example if you did 25 sit-ups when you first started your plan then try and increase this by an extra 5 every week.

Am I working hard enough?

You may often wonder am I doing enough exercise; there are several ways to know if you are working hard enough at your routine.

• Your heart should be beating faster than normal during exercise, but it shouldn’t be racing.
• Your breathing is deeper than usual but it is not rapid.
• Your body feels warmer than it usually does and you might be sweating a little but not enough to be dripping with sweat.
• You feel comfortable while exercising and feel that you could go on at the same level.
• You are able to carry on a conversation while exercising without having to gasp for breath.

Precautions you should take

If you are ever worried about your health particularly when exercising then stop exercising immediately and if the problem continues then make sure you visit your Doctor.
If you haven’t warmed up properly beforehand then you can experience muscle cramps during your exercise routine, make sure you get into the habit of doing warm up exercises at the beginning of your routine and cooling off exercises at the end.
Sometimes while exercising you may feel light headed especially if you are doing sit-ups or an exercise similar, if this occurs then stop the exercise for a few seconds and usually this will pass.
If you find yourself frequently light headed during exercise then check it out with a Doctor before continuing your exercise routine. Warm up routines and cooling down after exercise are just as essential as the actual routine and they should never be skipped.

When is the best time to exercise?

Your routine should be fitted in with your lifestyle but there are times when you shouldn’t exercise

• Never exercise straight after eating, this can lead to stomach cramps and nausea.
• If you are ill then it is advisable not to exercise.
• If you are feeling very tired don’t exercise.
• If you feel unwell, for example if you feel sick or dizzy during exercise and it doesn’t go away within a few minutes or the feelings return then stop your routine.
• If you get any pain while exercising then stop your routine and consult your Doctor before continuing your regime.