If you're beginning an exercise program, you'll need a check up from your doctor if:

• You've been diagnosed with heart problems, high blood pressure or other medical conditions
• You've been sedentary for over a year
• If you're over 65 and do not currently exercise
• You're pregnant
• You have Diabetes
• You have chest pain, or experience dizziness or fainting spells
• You're recovering from an injury or illness

Obviously, if you have a diagnosed condition or illness, you always want to talk to your doctor before beginning an exercise program.

Choosing the right fitness clothing and equipment is important for your exercise pleasure. Here are some general guidelines about deciding what to wear:

• Think comfort.  Shorts, tee shirts, whatever strikes your fancy.  You want clothes that don't chafe your delicate skin and that will protect you from the sun when you're outside.
• Wear light-colored clothes, plenty of sunscreen and sunglasses if you're exercising outdoors.  You may also want to invest in clothes made of special wicking material such as CoolMax.  This stuff keeps you cool and dry in the hot summer months.
• Wear the right shoes for your activity.  For weight training and low impact activities consider a cross-training shoe or a walking shoe.  If you're going to be running, you'll want a running shoe so your feet will have plenty of support.  Similarly, if you're participating in a sport such as basketball, football, etc. you'll want a sport-specific shoe so you don't hurt yourself.
• Make sure your clothes and shoes have reflective material on them if you're out and about at night.
• Be picky about your workout socks.  If they're too thick or thin you could get blisters which can ruin a good workout.

There's no right and wrong when it comes to exercise clothes.  It's whatever makes you feel good and keeps the sweat away!

If you're trying to lose weight, build muscle or excel at a sport, you'll need specific goals. When you don't have a specific goal, it's difficult to keep exercising and to track your progress to see how far you've come.  Before you get busy, take a moment and ask yourself these questions:

1.  What do I want to accomplish with this exercise program?
2.  Is my goal realistic and attainable?
3.  How do I reach my goal?
4.  When do I want to reach my goal?
5.  How will I reward myself when I reach my goal?

For example, is it reasonable to want to lose 50 pounds in 6 months?  Experts recommend that you lose no more than 1-2 pounds per week, but it isn't likely that you'll lose 2 pounds every single week.  Keep in mind that:

• The more weight you lose, the harder it will be to lose weight because the less weight your body has to move around, the less calories it will burn doing so
• The closer you get to your goal, the harder it will be to reach it--in fact, you may NEVER reach it (ever talk to someone who's still trying to lose that last 5 pounds?)
• Everyone has a weight their body is comfortable at and once you reach that weight, you'll find it very difficult to lose anymore.  Just because YOU think you should be at 125 doesn't mean your body agrees
• Make sure your goal weight is reasonable for your height and frame  

After you set your goal, find out how to reach it.  If you want to lose weight or become better at a sport, you need to figure out how that is accomplished by hiring a trainer or fitness expert, or hit the Internet or a library for some research.  Know what you have to do before you get started.  Many people are surprised at the daily effort it takes to reach their goals.

Once you know what you're doing and how you're doing it, the hardest part is sticking to it.  Here are some strategies to help make it easier to get up and get going:

• Schedule your exercise sessions each week--in INK!
• Set weekly goals and reward yourself each time you succeed (i.e., new shoes or a massage works nicely)
• Work out with friends or family for added motivation
• Recommit to your exercise goals each and every day
• Be prepared by always having your workout bag with you, bringing your lunch to work, etc.
• Keep a workout journal and look through it regularly to see your progress
• Take your measurements in the beginning, and then retake them every six weeks to see if you're making progress.  

Strength: Level I

Finger Squeeze: to strengthen the hands. Extend arms in front at shoulder height, palms down. Squeeze fingers slowly, then re1ease. Suggested repetitions: 5. Turn palms up, squeeze fingers, release. Suggested repetitions: 5. Extend arms in front, shake fingers. Suggested repetitions: 5.

Calf Raise: to strengthen lower leg & ankle. Stand erect, hands on hip or on back of chair for balance.

Spread fee 6" to 12".

Slowly raise body up to toes, lifting heels. Return to starting position. Breathe normally. Suggested repetitions: 10 - 15

Modified Sit-up: to improve abdominal strength. Lie on back, feet on the floor w/finger tips behind your ears. Look straight up at the ceiling and lift head & shoulders off floor. Suggested repetitions: 10.

Strength: Level III

Note: In Level III strength exercise, lightweight resistance equipment, such as the dumbbell, is introduced to overload the muscles.

While equipment of this kind is low in cost & desirable, a number of substitutes can be used.

These include:

 a bucket of soil, a heavy household item such as an iron, a can of food, a stone, or a brick.

Seated Alternate Dumbbell Curls: to strengthen biceps of upper arms. Sit comfortably on a flat bench with arms at side. Hold a pair of dumbbells with an underhand grip, so that palms face up. Bending left elbow, raise dumbbell until left arm is fully flexed. Lower left dumbbell while raising right dumbbell from the elbow until right arm is fully flexed. Breathe normally. Suggested repetitions: 2 sets of 8 - 10 each arm.

Dumbbell Fly: to strengthen chest muscles and improve lateral range of motion in shoulder girdle. Lie on your back on a Flat bench or floor if bench is not available. Grasp dumbbells in each hand over chest. Inhale and lower dumbbell to side with elbow slightly bent.  Raise dumbbell in an arc to the starting position, exhaling in the process. Suggested repetitions: 8 - 12.

Alternate Dumbbell Shrug: to strengthen muscles in shoulders, upper back and neck. Stand comfortably with dumbbells in each hand. Elevate shoulders as high as possible, rolling them first backward and then down to the starting position. Exhale as you lower the shoulders. Suggested repetitions: 10 forward, 5 backward.

One Arm Dumbbell Extension: to strengthen triceps (back of arm) and improve range of motion. Bring weight up to shoulder and lift overhead. Slowly lower it behind the back as far as is comfortable. Extend arm to original position. Inhale on the way down, exhale on the way up. Suggested repetitions: 8 - 12 on each arm.

Dumbbell Calf Raise: to strengthen calf muscle and improve range of motion of ankle joint. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, weights in each hand, toes on a 2" x 4" block (preferred but not necessary). Raise up on toes lifting heels as high as possible. Slowly lower heels to starting position. Breathe normally. Suggested repetitions: 5 with heels straight back, 5 with heels turned out, 5 with heels turned in.