Starting An Exercise Program

Starting An Exercise Program.....

Do I Need to See A Doctor Before I Begin?

Do you need to see a doctor before starting an exercise program?........

That is a question that we should all ask ourselves before beginning an exercise regimen.

However, it depends on our physical attributes and if we have any kind of illnesses such as high blood pressure, obese, heart disease, strokes in the past, or any other diseases.

Having any problems or diseases may cause you to only exercise with a personal trainer, and you will know that because you doctor consulted you to have one.

Before you start any exercise programs, there are several questions that you should ask yourself to help you determine if you should see your doctor first or not.

BEFORE STARTING AN EXERCISE PROGRAM

There are several questions that are very important to ask yourself before you think its essential to ask a doctor.

Question Yourself
The first thing to do is to ask yourself how active you want would like to be before you start an exercise program. That question may sound silly, but if you are of a certain age or have a certain kind of risk factor, you may need to consult a doctor before beginning any vigorous activity.

Low To Modorate
This is a level of intensity that is comfortable over a long period of time (about 60 minutes). This is an exercise that typically starts off slowly and works its way up gradually and not too competitive.

Competitive & Challenging
This is an itensity level that is both challenging and competitive. This level increases your heart and is performed about 20 minutes before being fatifued.

If your over the age of 40 or 50, you should definetly recieve a medical examination first. The same goes with any individuals of any age that has coronary artery disease, or any types of heart disease. If you are not sure if any of this applies to you, check with your physician.

More Questions
If you answer YES to any of the following questions, then you will need to have a talk to your doctor in person or on the phone before starting an exercise program of any kind.

Explain to the doctor the questions that you have said YES to and what activities you want to pursue.

Have you ever been told that you have a heart condition and that you should only participate in only physical activities recommended by a doctor?
Is there any chest pain/discomfort when performing any types of physical activities?
When not participating in any physical activities or resting, do you experience any fast/irregular heart beats or slow heart beats?
Do you have a bone/joint problem that can get worse with physical activity?
Do you have pain in your legs or buttocks when walking?
Have any cuts or wounds on your foot that doesn't heal?
Do you take blood pressure medication or heart medication?
Have you experience unexplained weight loss in the past six months?

If you answered "NO" to all of these questions, and passed the first round of questions, then you can be sure that you can take part of any moderate physical activities. However, it never hurts to ask.

Again, if your over the ages of 40-50 years old and would like to do more challenging activites, you should check with your physician before starting an exercise program.

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