The Third Step

 

Start an exercise regimen and stick to it 

Try running or using the treadmill a set number of days a week, gradually increasing in intensity and/or length of exercise. You could also try purchasing a book that schedule workouts for you, like Five Factor Fitness. Though you should try to tailor your workouts to your own style as much as possible, the two areas of fitness that everyone should address are strength training and cardio:

• Building muscle through strength-training will not only increase your strength and tone, but also increase your metabolism, as muscular people have been shown to burn more calories even when they’re at rest.^[1] If going to the gym isn’t for you, try strength-training at home.
• Cardio workouts improve circulation and endurance. Good cardiovascular health is not only good for heart health and blood pressure, it has even been linked to a decreased risk of Alzheimer’s Disease.^[2] Doing interval training (i.e. alternating between low- and high-intensity activity) has been shown to be a an especially fast and effective way to improve heart health and endurance.^[3]
• Note: anyone over the age of 60 or who has heart disease, high blood pressure, or arthritis should consult a doctor before attempting interval training.

The Second Step

Incorporate more physical exercise into your daily routine. By regularly challenging yourself, you keep your physical self "tuned up." If getting fit means losing weight, this will help the pounds melt away—and stay away! If you're training for endurance, this is the way ensure steady improvement.

• Take the subway or bike to work/school instead of driving. If that's not possible, park several blocks away from your office building to force yourself into two 15-minute walks every day. When you go to the grocery store, hardware store, movies, or mall—park at the end of the lot instead of wrangling for a spot near the front door. These small changes definitely make a long-term impact in your fitness.
• Clean your house vigorously. You'd be surprised how physically taxing housework is: dusting your shelves, cleaning your toilets, doing the dishes, mowing the lawn, pulling weeds, and cleaning the garage will definitely give you a workout. Making yourself and your family clean parts of your house on a regular basis (i.e., every week or every other week) will not only create a better environment for you to live in, but also make burning calories, staying flexible, and keeping in shape a much simpler process.

The First Step

 

Develop the right attitude. The mind may not be a muscle, but it's still incredibly strong, and can make the difference between succeeding and failing at your goal. Being fit is a marathon, not a sprint, and it requires making changes to your entire lifestyle.

Don't approach this with the mindset that you can abandon the changes you make as soon as you reach your ideal fitness goal, or you risk slipping into your bad habits again. Being fit should be incorporating things into your life that you can eventually do by second nature—by habit

 

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