When a 17-year-old is out of shape, the good news is that a proper exercise and diet plan will produce excellent results and usually do it quickly. The best programs include cardiovascular exercise, strength training, playing competitive sports and stretching.
Cardiovascular Exercise
The basis of any exercise plan for a 17-year-old should be cardiovascular exercise. You can run, walk, swim or bike in order to get a cardiovascular workout. The key to getting your heart rate up is to do the exercise for at least 25 minutes. The harder you work, the more calories you will burn and the faster you will get in improved condition. However, working out to get in shape is not a short-term proposition. Instead, the best cardiovascular programs are the ones you can stick with. Start off slow by walking or biking and then work your way up to running if you want to push yourself further.
Strength Training
In order to improve your overall conditioning, a strength training program is vital. Not only will it build up your muscles, it will help you burn calories. You can do this by lifting free weights, using exercise machines like Nautilus or Bowflex or doing basic exercises. Lifting free weights is usually the best way to get stronger. Exercises like the bench press, arm curls, lunges and the dead lift can bring fast results, but you will need a spotter when you are lifting heavier weights. If you don't have a training partner, use Nautilus or Bowflex to strengthen your arms, shoulders, back, chest, abs, glutes, hamstrings and calf muscles. If you have no access to free weights or machines, you can do push-ups, pull-ups and ab crunches to get stronger and burn calories. Do your strength training program three times per week. At 17, your body is still developing and you don't want to overtrain, especially when you are working with free weights and weight machines.
Sports Activity
Playing a competitive sport that you enjoy will help you complete your diet and exercise plan. When you are 17, you may have more time for recreational activity than you will when you are older. Finding an hour or two every day for sports like basketball, soccer, tennis or volleyball will help you burn calories and get in better shape.
Flexibility
If you are doing cardiovascular work along with strength training, you will need to stretch before and after your exercise program in order to keep from pulling muscles. Use an exercise band to help you keep your muscles working and avoiding strains and sprains. Place the middle of an exercise band under your feet. Take the two ends in your hands and hold the band in front of you at shoulder level. Stretch the band over your head and hold it for two seconds. Return it to the starting position. Do this 15 times, take a one-minute break and repeat the set.
Healthy Diet
No matter how much work you do, your exercise program won't be fully effective unless you also change your diet. Eat white-meat chicken and fish as your main sources of protein, staying away from red meat that is heavy in fat. Eat two to three portions of fresh vegetables and fresh fruit every day. Eat complex carbohydrates like spaghetti and oatmeal to fuel your exercise program. Stay away from junk foods and fast foods. Drink 64 oz. of water every day in order to lubricate your muscles, joints and tendons and also to wash toxins out of your system.
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