WORKOUT GUIDEUNES
Awell-roundedworkoutdevelopsthe heart, musclesand
body composition by including thefollowing phases:
A warm-up phase,lasting 5to 10 minutes. Begin with
slow,controlled stretches,and progress tomore rhythmic
stretchesto increasethebody temperature,heart rate
andcirculation in preparation for strenuousexercise.
Stretchingalsoguardsagainst muscle,tendonand liga-
mentsprains.(SeeSUGGESTEDSTRETCHESonpage 13.)
A cardiovascularphase, including 20-30 minutes of
exercisingwithyour heart rate in your training zone.
A cool-down phase,consisting of 5-10 minutes of activ-
itysimilarto that of the warm-up phase. Thorough
stretchingoffsetsmusclecontractions and otherproblems
causedwhen you stopexercisingsuddenly.Stretchingfor
increasedflexibilityisoften mosteffectiveduring this
phase.This phase shouldleaveyou relaxed and comfort-
ably tired.
Insteadofwaiting for a convenienttime toexercise, plan
a specifictime.The morning hours work well for many,
and theself-discipline requiredto riseearly and exercise
oftencarries through the day tohelp increaseproductivi-
ty inother areas. For some,exercisingbefore dinner ini-
tiatesa period of winding down from the day's activities.
Whatevertime you choose, be consistentand stickwith it.
Tomaintain or improveyour condition, complete three
workouts eachweek, with at leastone day of rest
between workouts.After afew monthsof regular exer-
cise,you may complete up to five workoutseachweek, if
desired.Remember,the keyto successisCONSISTENCY.
WORKOUT ATTIRE
Exerciseclothing shouldbecomfortable and allow unre-
strictedmovement. Donot wear rubberized or plastic
clothing that can interfere with the evaporation of sweat
from your skin. Always wear athleticshoes that are flexi-
ble and provide good protection and support.
ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS
Creating a more active lifestyle, in addition to establish-
ing a regular exercise program, will help you to achieve
your fitness goals. It's easy to improve your lifestyle by
making a few changes in your daily routine:
Keepyourself movingthroughout theday. Use the stairs
instead of the elevator. Park a half mile away from work
or get off the busa couple of blocks before your stop
and walk the remaining distance.
Increasemidday productivity,creativity and energy by
replacinga heavy lunchwitha light meal.Spend the
extratime in physical activitysuchas walking.
Substitutemanually-operated devicesfor automatic
equipment such as ia,_n-care machinery, power tools
and snow removers.
Stop smoking;smokingnearlydoubles the risk of coro-
nary heart disease.(Framington Heart Study)
R_uce or eliminate alcohol consumption. Alcohol isa
major cause of liver problems and other health disor-
ders. (Office of Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion) ..__
Reduceyour intake of fat. Lessthan 30% of the calories
youconsume each day should comefrom fat. Excessive
fat consumption has been linkedto numerouscauses of
death, includingheart diseaseand cancer.
Know and keepa record of your cholesterol level,blood
pressureand other health information.Keepyour blood
pressure below 140/90; keeping it below 125/85 is
preferable.
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