Attorneys, do you feel the need to get away from your sedentary lifestyle and stay in shape?

1. Reality Check – be realistic about where you are now and get advice as needed. If you’ve never exercised in your life, get some guidance from a doctor or a personal trainer.

My dad’s workout was simple, but even my recommendation to get high-quality shoes was something that enabled him to continue his workouts when his joints and shins started hurting from the lack of support from his el cheapo sneakers.

2. Motivation – figure out what will motivate you to continue when you just don’t want to. My dad had COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and as a result had trouble breathing. With the use of a couple of medications, he was able to improve his breathing and start his walking routine. However, his real motivation for keeping it up and increasing his endurance was his desire to go to the Nascar races when they came to town. His daily 3-mile walk and bleacher climbing was actually task training for what was required on race day.

3. Enjoyment – pick the thing you enjoy the most. Don’t force yourself to do something you don’t really like to do just because some magazine said it‘s the latest craze. Pick the type of exercise that appeals to you most and you’ll be far more likely to stick to it.

4. Schedule – set a schedule and don’t deviate from it unless you are replacing it with another schedule. No excuses. Just accept that this is your exercise schedule and don’t even allow yourself to consider skipping it except for something very special.

5. Planning – create or get someone else to create a workout routine that will help you reach your goals based on where you’re starting from. Don’t just do whatever comes to mind or whatever few exercises you happen to know.

Either use a workout routine you find in a magazine or online that’s suitable for you or hire a personal trainer to create one for you that you can do on your own thereafter.

Do this entire routine every time until you replace it with another updated routine.

Change it up every 8 weeks or so to keep your body challenged.

Whether you’ve been sedentary your whole life or have fallen off the workout wagon in recent years, the only way to begin is to begin.

Attorneys, if you follow these few guidelines, you’ll begin seeing and feeling results in a matter of a few weeks. Just begin your journey of staying in shape.

Kim Stevens wrote this guest blog.

What helps you stay focused on your health? Share a tip.

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