Tips to Help you stay motivated:

Ten Rules for Beginning and Enjoying a Physical Activity Program

1. Choose an activity that is right for you. This means something you enjoy doing. Just because your friends jog does not mean you have to jog. There are many different types of activities, which will benefit our body in the same way that jogging does (walking, swimming, bicycling, and dancing, just to name a few).

2. Begin each physical activity session with a warm-up, which should include stretching and gradually working your way into the more vigorous part of the session.

3. Start out gradually. Do not walk two miles in a half hour the first time you decide to become more active after many years of inactivity.

4. Do your activity regularly and consistently.

5. Alternate days of strenuous activity with days of easier activity.

6. Do not keep going if you are in pain. Listen to your body, and slow down. (However, do expect to be a little sore when you first start using muscles you have used in a long time.)

7. If you are consistently fatigued for more than two hours after your physical activity session, you are probably working too hard or too long. Again, slow down.

8. Be sure to drink plenty of water before, during and after your physical activity, especially if you are active for an hour or more.

9. Wear proper clothing and shoes. Do not wear garments that constrict you or that do not allow you to cool off (see below).

10. End each activity session by cooling down. Gradually decrease your level of activity (e.g., walk slowly for a couple of minutes after you have been jogging or walking briskly), and stretch. Enjoy the sky, the trees, the solitude and the company!

Above all, enjoy yourself! If you are miserable, you are probably doing too much!

Guidelines on Clothing and Shoes

Because you will be performing physical activity each session, you will want to dress appropriately: sweat suits, warm-up outfits, t-shirts, and shorts are fine. Whatever you choose to wear, it should be loose fitting and comfortable. Clothing made of cotton is highly recommended because cotton allows the body to breathe. Cotton also helps you remain cool as you exercise by absorbing perspiration and allowing excess moisture to evaporate. However, if you have a problem with chafing, you may want to wear shorts made of nylon or put some Vaseline on the inside of your thighs, Vaseline will help prevent chafing on any spots on your body where clothing rubs. Nylon is easy to maintain and minimizes chafing, but it tends to retain heat and moisture.

On cooler nights, it is best to wear several layers of lightweight clothing. The added layers of clothing help insulate you against cold by trapping the air warmed by your active body. A tightly woven cotton or nylon windbreaker worn as an outer garment creates the strongest insulation of all.

Females should make sure they wear a good supportive bra.

The type of shoes you wear is very important. A well fitting shoe reduces the chance of injury just as a poorly fitting shoe increases the risk. Here are a few hints about selection:

1. Always take your shoe measurements while standing and, if possible near the end of the day, when your feet are slightly larger. Be sure to wear the same type of socks you would be wearing with these shoes.

2. Fit the shoe from toe to heel first. If your second toe is longer than your big toe, measure from the end of that toe. The width is measured at the ball of the foot and at the widest part of the heel.

3. Look for a lightweight shoe, one that bends easily at the ball of the foot but is rigid from the front of the arch to the heel. To test for flexibility, hold the shoe in your hands, and bend the toe box and forefoot area of the shoe back toward the heel. It should bend easily but not touch the laces.

4. The shoe should provide cushioning that gradually thickens at the heel and should be at least half an inch higher at the heel than at the ball of the foot. This minimizes the wear and tear on the Achilles tendon; the tendon runs down the back of your lower leg and over your heel.

5. A firm heel counter, fond at the back of the shoe, is very important because it helps keep the foot stable.