Determining Where to Start

After receiving clearance from your doctor to exercise, you need to know your general fitness level so that you can choose activity plans that will work for you. If you have not been exercising regularly, then assume your fitness level is low. In this case you will want to make your transition into exercising as easy as possible by not concerning yourself with estimating your fitness level or measuring your heart rate. But as you reach the point where you are exercising at least 30 minutes a day, I encourage you to use some of the tools described in this chapter to refine your action plan and monitor your success.

As discussed in chapter 4, you will need to choose the mode, intensity, duration, frequency, and progression of your exercise program. This may seem complicated, but recognizing that these elements are essential to any exercise plan will make your endeavor much easier. You may choose to write your plan out formally as I do in the examples in this chapter, or you may decide just to keep track of what type of activity you are doing and how you are responding. The bottom line is to start exercising safely, monitor your progress, and respond appropriately to change.

Once you have chosen the type of exercise that you will do, select the level of intensity based on your estimated baseline fitness level. If you are just starting an exercise program or have been exercising up to a moderate intensity, you can do an in-home test called the three-minute step test (see next page) to estimate how much intensity you are able to endure (endurance level). If you have a low fitness level, choose an exercise with a metabolic equivalent (MET) of less than 6, such as walking. If you are at a moderate or high fitness level, you should select exercises with a MET above 6. (See pages 52-53 for more exercises and their corresponding METs.)

If you think that you already have a high level of fitness, you should have your testing done by a professional trained in fitness testing. In-home testing is less accurate when your fitness level is high. Typically your local fitness center employs a certified athletic trainer who can help you with this kind of testing. These more sophisticated and intensive cardiorespiratory tests and other types of testing (such as strength and flexibility) are beyond the scope of this book, but you can find many references in health and fitness books or on the Internet. Remember that you do not have to test your fitness level to start an aerobic exercise plan. Just start out at a pace that you can easily tolerate. Then work your way up as your fitness level increases, and add in strength and flexibility exercises.