How to Have Fun and Be Fit - Part 2: Getting into Pre-Shape – A 30 day plan

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As I mentioned in the first article, I believe the best way to be fit is to have fun. Sometimes, we might have let a little too much time pass since our last exercise regime and because of that, we feel like we can’t do ANYTHING that is fun without hurting ourselves; and that might be the case. So what do we do? Well, as I’ve said, no matter how bad it is, it probably isn’t ALL bad. If this is the level you feel you are at, you need to start by getting into what I call “Pre-shape.”


Get your body moving.

A common challenge to getting into shape is that our bodies are too tight and don’t have enough muscle tone to keep us from injuries that can be caused by the twisting, turning, lifting and jumping that many activities require. Pre-shape is all about getting you to the first real level of fitness. It starts with getting your body used to the idea of moving. You might take a short daily walk and follow it with some very light stretches. You might get some VERY light weights and do some curls and lifts while watching television in the evening. After you’ve warmed-up a little, you can do a few push-ups during the commercials. Always add some light stretching after you’ve worked out and your muscles are still warm.

When my wife Laura and I first decided to get back into shape, we started by taking a walk to the local coffee shop to have a roll and a coffee. Admittedly, this wasn’t a great way to diet, but it WAS a great way to get ourselves out the door. The place was a little over a mile away. It seemed like a long walk at first, but we got to take a break once there and enjoy a treat before we walked home. Once home, I would do a few push-ups and light stretches for my hamstrings, quads, and low back. It was actually a pretty easy thing to do and before long we were walking at a faster clip and then looking for other things to do. Our next step was to start riding our bicycles on the same route; the coffee shop. But after our treat we took a longer route home and I continued to stretch. Please note: We walked to a coffee shop and had a pastry. As you can imagine, this isn’t something recommended by Olympic coaches, but it worked to keep us moving. In my opinion, it’s OK to use this method to get yourself motivated and moving. But limit yourself to one pastry and if you can’t, pick a different fun destination.

As we continued to get into better shape, we slowly reached the point where we were more considerate of what we ate. We didn’t do anything ridiculous like not eat chocolate or dessert. We just found that we wanted it less often and we usually ate smaller quantities when we did have it. The results were great. We both had more energy, slept better and hurt less.

When you are going for pre-shape, start easy and increase gradually. The two main ingredients are getting your body moving and then doing some light stretches once your muscles are warm. The secondary portion is where you start to pay a little attention to your diet. I’ve often found that this gets easier as I start to get into shape.

I’m a real believer in low-impact at the start. You don’t need to take a pounding to get in pre-shape. I don’t believe in “No pain, no gain.” You can get into shape without tearing ligaments and pulling muscles; you just want to start gradually. Take a walk. Do low-impact aerobics. Swim. Use resistance bands while you watch T.V. Just get your body moving, do a few stretches and then add a little more each week or two. Ultimately, in my opinion, a good target is the ability to achieve 15 to 25 minutes of a moderate to fast paced walk and the ability to do about 10 push-ups (standard or knee-style is acceptable) as a guide to when you are ready to take the next step.

Set a goal.

One of the best ways that I’ve found to get into pre-shape is to set a goal for an activity you want to be involved with. Maybe you want to play with your kids. Maybe you want to water ski next summer or snow ski next winter. If you look ahead about 6 months and find something you want to do, it can make it a lot easier to take the steps needed to get yourself into the shape to do those things. The ultimate goal is to find an event you want to be involved with and then plan to be ready for it. In my case, I wanted to race motorcycles again. When I was a kid, I raced. I raced in my teens, twenties and thirties. I was 48 and realized I had raced in every decade of my life since my teens but had never raced in my forties and I wanted to continue the tradition. I found a “fun” race that I thought I could compete in without hurting myself or others that was about 6 months away. I set the goal of being in good enough shape to ride that event. I REALLY wanted to ride. Whenever I wasn’t in the mood to exercise, I thought about that event and how fast the clock was ticking. I got a friend to commit to the same event so I would have someone to answer to if I backed out. It helped.

You might want to run a 5K or walk for a cause like a cure for cancer. Pick an event, put it in your head and decide you are going to be ready. Find someone you can count on to commit to the same event. Then, set out a plan to get in pre-shape over the next 30 days or so, which will get you ready to take the nest step of physical fitness. You can do it.

1) Get your body gently moving.
2) Do some light stretching.
3) Try to reach a point where you can do 10 push-ups and walk at a moderate to fast pace for 15 to 25 minutes. This is only my opinion and you need to let your age, condition and your doctor to decide what is right for you.
4) Set a goal that is 6 months out for something you want to participate in that requires a reasonable level of fitness.
5) Let your body and your doctor be the guide as to when it is time to go to the next level. For some, a couple of weeks are enough. Others might need 30 days or more. Your body will tell you. Increase GRADUALLY.

© Phil Ammendolia 2008

Next: How to test yourself to know your true fitness level.