Preparing for your new exercise program

There are some things to take into consideration when starting a new program. One of them is consulting a doctor if you have any recent health issues or diagnosis.

• Some of the my biggest red flags that I look for when working with people with health issues is diabetes and hypertension.
• Those with pre-hypertension or hypertension have a blood pressure over 140 (systolic) and/or 90 (diastolic) [Only one of these numbers has to be high to be considered hypertensive]. When you exercise or exert energy your blood pressure naturally increases because the heart is pumping more blood to the muscles to provide an increase in oxygen to the body. If your blood pressure is already high at rest it could be risky to increase it more with exercise because the pressure is not good for your blood vessels. Your physician can help you regulate it with medications. On the other hand, exercise is great for reducing your blood pressure, your post exercise blood pressure is typically lower than your resting pre-exercise vitals.
• For diabetics, glucose levels over 300 mg/dl is too high for exercise. This is a sign of uncontrolled diabetes and consulting a diabetic counselor or nutritionist is advised. When your glucose levels are over 300 mg/dl the body burns muscle and this is contradictive to what we want to accomplish with exercise.
• So another thing you will need to do is decide how you are going to measure your progress.
• Keep a log or journal and write down how you feel, your weight, what you eat, your daily exercise and activity, spedometer steps, body measurements, Body mass index (BMI), and body fat %. Decide what measurements (any or all) are important to you and stick to a weekly routine of updating your measurements and seeing your progress.
• Here are some calculators that can help you determine your BMI and Body fat %:
• BMI: http://www.acefitness.org/calculators/bmi-calculator.aspx
• Body Fat %: http://www.acefitness.org/calculators/bodyfat-calculator.aspx
• If you are taking measurements and weighing yourself to evaluate your progress you will need a scale and a measuring tape. Weigh yourself everytime at the same time and in the same clothes or without clothing. I like to weigh myself in the morning after I use the bathroom. Measuring your waist at the umbilicus, around that largest part of the buttocks and around the bust can provide you with easy and consistent measurements.

This may seem daunting but it will help you realize even the smallest of changes which will keep you motivated as you go!

 "failure to plan is planning to fail"