Many people find it challenging to exercise regularly. Based on reader feedback, this is a major concern for many people. On the other hand, some people are addicted to exercise.

All things being equal, adherence to an exercise programme (especially for beginners) improves with shorter, more frequent sessions. Five to six sessions of 30 minutes duration each week, for example, produce good results in beginners. When sessions are short and compact, people are less likely to become bored or overworked and fatigued.

If you plan to make exercising and physical activity a lifetime commitment and not just a passing fad, the first two to three months of your programme are the most critical ones. There are adjustments and sacrifices to be made in our lifestyles that will shape this formative stage of the exercise experience. Once you begin to see positive changes in your body and health generally, continuing your exercise and physical activity programme will soon become routine.

Choose the right time

In the first two to three months, establish a regular time for exercising. Make this time as much a priority as your other daily activities. Choose a time when it is less likely that there will be disruptions of your plans. To each his own, choose either early morning, midday or late evening.

You should select activities that you will enjoy. Also continue to choose new and different activities until you create a variety of exercise options that can make each session a little different. This will help you to maintain your commitment .

Dressing comfortably while exercising is also important in maintaining your commitment. Pay attention to you footwear, especially if you are going to be using your feet extensively. Use the best equipment that is available and affordable.

Get support

Get your family and friends involved in your exercise routine. When you have support, it is easier to achieve your physical activity goals. Chart your progress by keeping a record of your activities; make special notes of all the changes. A record of changes in resting or exercise pulse or heart rate is an easy way to keep track of your heart status. Health problems associated with your heart are the main cause of death. Challenge and reward yourself every now and then.

Exercise and physical activity should be performed in moderation so that your tolerance and threshold are not compromised. Unfortunately, the benefits of exercise are not permanent so a regular lifetime programme is the only way to continuously enjoy the therapeutic effects of physical medicine.

Dr Kenneth Gardner is an exercise physiologist at Holiday Hills Research Center; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.