A Beginner's Guide To Exercise: Get Fit In 10 Weeks

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For many beginners, the most difficult task of weight loss is starting a fitness plan.  Even experienced dieters may be new to the idea of regular exercise.  And folks who struggle with lots of extra pounds may find physical activity difficult, intimidating or boring.

But even if you've been sedentary for years, we can get you off that couch and in the gym!  Here’s a simple 10 Week plan that anyone can do*:

Step 1:  Pick a cardio activity.  For most beginners, walking is the best cardio choice.  It's basic, it's simple and you can do it almost anywhere.  The only gear you really need is a good pair of walking shoes.  However, if you prefer, feel free to choose another aerobic workout instead.  Other options include bicycling, rowing or even exercise DVDs.

Step 2:  Pick a strength training activity. Many beginners can benefit from simple bodyweight exercises, like pushups, lunges, squats and abdominal crunches.  You can add dumbbells or resistance bands if you desire.  To ensure you use proper form, consult with a personal trainer, watch a strength training exercise DVD or read a strength training book.

Step 3:  Pick a flexibility activity. You can stick with tried-and-true stretching methods (like the kind you learned in gym class), or try something more exotic like yoga.  Don't skip this step!  Many people think flexibility isn't important, but it will help strengthen your joints and prevent injury.

Step 4:  Choose your days.  You'll be exercising four days a week, so pick four days when you have some time to spare.  Weekends are usually a good choice.  If possible, the days should not all be consecutive.  So rather than exercising Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, plan your workouts for Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.  (If you absolutely can't find four days for exercise, you may choose to workout just three days a week.)

Once you've chosen cardio, strength training and flexibility activities--and you know which days you'll be exercising--get started on your 10 Week plan!  (Note: Not everyone will want to begin at Week 1.  Choose your beginning week based on your current fitness abilities.)

Begin every exercise session with a light warm up.  Depending on your fitness ability, this might include slow walking, arm circles or some other gentle movement.

WEEK 1
This week is designed to get your body familiar with exercise.  You'll also begin establishing your workouts as a habit.  We're starting with very light exercise for short periods of time.  So if you find this week too easy, begin your program with Week 2 or Week 3.

• Exercises:  Each scheduled workout day, do 5 minutes of cardio, 5 minutes of strength training and 5 minutes of flexibility. 

Keep your cardio easy and don't worry about trying to push yourself too hard.  For sedentary beginners, a short walk and some arm curls (without weights) is a great start!

WEEK 2
We're still trying to establish a pattern of exercise at this point.  Analyze your body.  If your muscles feel sore and tired, decrease the intensity of your workouts.  At any point in the program, feel free to repeat a week if you're feeling overwhelmed.

• Exercises:  Each scheduled workout day, do 8 minutes of cardio, 5 minutes of strength training and 5 minutes of flexibility. 

Again, your cardio should be at an easy pace.  If you can't hold a conversation, you're working too hard!

WEEK 3
By now exercise is starting to feel less painful.  However, don't make the mistake of pushing your body too hard!  You need to progress gradually to avoid injury.  Stick with your current, easy pace.

• Exercises:  Each scheduled workout day, do 10 minutes of cardio, 5 minutes of strength training and 5 minutes of flexibility. 

Since you're increasing the time you spend doing aerobics, now is not the time to increase the intensity if your workouts!  Keep them gentle.

WEEK 4
This is the week most people "fall off" the exercise wagon.  But if you make it through this week, you'll be on your way to being a lifetime fitness buff!  So rather than increase your workouts this week, we're keeping them at the same level as last week.

• Exercises:  Each scheduled workout day, do 10 minutes of cardio, 5 minutes of strength training and 5 minutes of flexibility.

WEEK 5
Congratulations!  You made it through an entire month of workouts!  We're going to increase the time you spend doing both cardio and strength training.  However, notice that we increase both only a little bit.  Slow and steady wins the race.

• Exercises:  Each scheduled workout day, do 12 minutes of cardio, 7 minutes of strength training and 5 minutes of flexibility. 

Again, keep your pace easy.  Don't force yourself to run when you should still be walking.

WEEK 6
Odds are you're starting to feel more confident now, which means you may feel like pushing yourself to your physical limits.  Don't do it!  Be patient and keep your exercises gentle.  We're going to really start increasing the time you spend exercising, so it's important to keep the intensity low.

• Exercises: Each scheduled workout day, do 15 minutes of cardio, 10 minutes of strength training and 7 minutes of flexibility. 

At this point your workouts are longer than 30 minutes.  Congratulations!

WEEK 7
There's less than a month until the end of the program, and you're doing great!  Remember: if you struggle to get through a certain week, go ahead and repeat it until the workouts feel comfortable.  If you need to, you can even go back a week or two.

• Exercises:  Each scheduled workout day, do 18 minutes of cardio, 10 minutes of strength training and 10 minutes of flexibility. 

This is the maximum amount of time you'll spend on flexibility training during this program.

WEEK 8
It may feel like your progress has been slow, but look how far you've come!  Keep the pace steady and you'll be a fitness buff in just two more weeks.

• Exercises:  Each scheduled workout day, do 20 minutes of cardio, 12 minutes of strength training and 10 minutes of flexibility.

Your workouts have reached the 40-minute mark!

WEEK 9
You're almost finished!  Odds are you're anxious to boost your exercise intensity.  But we're going to really increase your time during the next two weeks, so keep the pace easy.

• Exercise: Each scheduled workout day, do 25 minutes of cardio, 15 minutes of strength training and 10 minutes of flexibility.

This is the maximum amount of time you'll spend on strength training during this program.

WEEK 10
You've reached the last week of this program!  By the time you finish this week, you'll be exercising the minimum amount of time recommended for health benefits.

• Exercise:  Each scheduled workout day, do 30 minutes of cardio, 15 minutes of strength training and 10 minutes of flexibility.

Congratulations!  You've finished the 10 Week plan!  You can now do 30 minutes of continuous aerobic exercise, which benefits your heart and your waistline.  You're also engaging in regular strength and flexibility training, so your muscles, bones and joints are stronger.

As you continue on your fitness journey, feel free to change the plan to fit your needs.  Some people:

•    Continue to do cardio for 30 minutes, but increase the intensity of their workouts (by going from walking to jogging, for example).
•    Continue to gradually add minutes to their cardio workouts until it reaches 45 or 60 minutes.
•    Split their workout days so that some days they do cardio and other days they do strength training.
•    Increase the intensity of strength training by lifting (heavier) weights or using props like stability balls.

Once you complete Week 10, you're practically a fitness buff!  At this point you can modify your workouts to fit your needs.  But remember: To prevent injury, always be careful to avoid increasing your intensity too soon. 

*This workout is just a guideline that you should modify to fit your needs.  Before beginning any exercise plan, check with your physician.  Tell your physician the details of the fitness program to ensure it's safe for your physical condition.  Use common sense, and listen to your body.  If you feel any pain, stop exercising immediately and consult your doctor.