Getting started on exercise when you are a couch potato is not that easy. But it can be done. There are a few things you might want to consider before you get started with an exercise routine. Depending on how long you have been a couch potato and when was the last time you sincerely worked out, are big factors in the how to start.

What does it take to get you started on a good exercise routine?

One of the biggest mistake beginners or people that haven’t worked out properly in a long time make is to overdo it. Starting out with a five-mile run, when you haven’t walked more than half a mile in years is the worst thing you can do. “Start it slow” is the motto. Rome was not built in one day and your body’s fitness will not be built up in one day. A body that is accustomed to rest and little exercise needs to be woken carefully out of his cryonic sleep.

So first of all, before you get started all together, pick something you like as an exercise. Whether it is running, swimming, cycling or going to the gym, pick something you absolutely like. If you for example like to swim, find a place close to your home, a place that you are most likely to be able to go more than once a week. The same of course goes for any other activity you pick. It needs to be a place that is convenient for you to go to; otherwise an added trip and the added time might prevent you from keeping up a proper exercise routine.

Next, check you’re equipment. You do not need the most expensive things, but the minimal required equipment is necessary at the beginning to get started. You cannot swim without a bathing suit, well you can, but you are not allowed to in public places to say the least. For cycling you need a bike and for running you need a good pair of shoes. The same goes for walking. If walking is your chosen activity, you need a good pair of shoes.

After you decided on the activity, checked for a convenient place and checked your equipment, go ahead and make a schedule. You want to fit in at least five times of 30 minutes of exercise in one week. Just to let you know, taking it slowly means no more than 30 minutes and if 30 minutes in one piece is too much for you, split it up. Distribute it into three ten-minute sections or two 15-minute sections and maybe even do two different activities so that you do not get bored.

When your schedule is done, try to stick to it as best as you can for at least two weeks. When exercising, exercise slowly and also do not overdo it. Take it slow, but fast enough that you break into a little sweat and your heart pumps at a good exercise rate for your age. Should you experience pain during your exercise, stop your activity and check on what it could be. Never try to end an exercise routine with an adjusted movement routine so that it does not hurt. You were a couch potato for who knows how long and you cannot force it now. You might just get hurt and then never exercise again. After the two week period, if you need to adjust the schedule due to appointments or other issues in your life, go ahead and adjust it, but make sure not to cut out the exercise time but rather rearrange it to a better fit for your life.

Exercising will leave you tired and exhausted for the first few weeks, but when you get into the swing of things and your body gets used to moving and grooving you will actually have more energy than before.