Whether your goal is weight loss or just to be more fit and healthy, it is important to start your new, healthy lifestyle in a smart way with the right information and support. A trip to the doctor and some support from your friends and family will help you with your workouts and motivation.
Set Realistic Goals
Before you start any exercise program or change anything about the way you eat, be sure to set realistic goals. Make sure that what you are trying to achieve is both healthy and achievable. For help setting healthy and achievable goals, get help from your doctor, a nurse (such as your school nurse) and your parents. They will all have your best interest in mind and help to keep you away from unhealthy diets and exercise programs. A good weight loss example would be that you want to lose 10 lbs. in eight weeks. This is a safe and realistic goal, because safe weight loss occurs at only about 1 to 2 lbs. per week. By giving yourself eight weeks, you have also built in time for your body to adjust and for anything thing else that may pop up in your busy life. And remember that if you don't hit your goal the first time, it's okay. Just set a new one and keep working until you have reached your ultimate goal.
Family Support
Let your family know that you are working on getting healthy and that you are going to start working out. If you did not get your parents' help in setting your health goals, you will want the support of your entire family (parents and siblings) to help you continue to eat well and exercise or participate in healthy activities. This is not something you want to try to do on your own. Even adults need a support system when they start to work out. Family support will also be important when it comes to eating healthier, since you are unlikely the one who does the shopping and cooking for your family. Your decision to work out and be healthy could inspire the rest of your family to be more healthy as well.
Choose Exercise You Like
Whether it's dancing, soccer, swimming or cycling, it is important to choose an activity that you enjoy. Aerobic activities are ones that raise your heart rate and tend to be popular among teens. When you choose an activity that you enjoy, you are more likely to stick with it and will be less likely to see it as exercise. If you don't know what you like to do, try out a few different activities until you find something you like. Remember also that your aerobic activity should get your heart rate up for at least 20 minutes three days per week. Keep in mind that you are still growing, and your ability to do activities that require a certain amount of coordination (such as dance or soccer) may be a little off until you get used to the activity. Don't give up if you really like the activity just because it's a little difficult at first.
Weight Train With Caution
Another important component to an exercise program is strength training. You can use free weights, weight machines or resistance tubing, along with your own body weight, to provide resistance for your workouts. Before you start to introduce weights into your exercise program, make sure it's okay with your doctor. Start off slowly and with lighter weights until you have adapted to your program. When you begin to weight train, you will notice soreness in the muscles you trained. That is why you do not train the same muscle groups on back-to-back days. The muscles need time to rest, recover and repair for at least 24 hours. During this time you may experience what is called delayed-onset muscle soreness. It may last for two or three days, but as long as you are executing your weight training program safely, you can go back to training that muscle group, even if you are still a little sore, after one to two days.
Ignore the Media
It doesn't matter what your favorite fashion or lifestyle magazine says about how you should look and how much you should weigh. It doesn't even matter how skinny your favorite actress is or how big the muscles are of your favorite WWE Superstar. What matters is that you find a way to be healthy, not necessarily skinny. Put down the magazines and ignore what the TV says. Your health is most important; keep that in mind as you choose your goals and activities.
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