Beginning an exercise program can be very overwhelming and painful if you aren’t careful. Warming your body up and stretching prior to exercise is very important for your health and will allow you to see better results, as well as to enjoy the workout more. Warming up and stretching raise your body and muscle temperatures, along with preparing your cardiovascular, respiratory, and nervous systems for the demands of exercise by slowly increasing the blood circulation.

Warming up will allow all of your connective tissues that haven’t been stretched recently to handle the stress put on during exercise, limiting your chances for injury. Connective tissue is similar to hard plastic; if you don’t warm-up plastic it won’t be flexible, and is much more likely to "break."

Proper warm up will also help reduce the severity of soreness in the next day or two following the workout. The increased blood flow helps deliver more oxygen to the muscles and gets rid of the waste products that contribute to soreness. Increased blood flow also helps bring more fuel to your body, resulting in better performance.
Warm up with a low impact exercise, such as biking, an elliptical machine, walking, or rowing for 5 – 10 minutes. These exercises allow your body to warm up with limited stress to your joints. It’s important not to stretch statically at this point, because you will lose the effect of your warm-up. You will need to stretch at the end of your workout, but the cardiovascular warm-up will incorporate all the stretching that you need to warm up your muscles.

Another reason for soreness is trying to do too much too soon. Don’t try to make up for lost time. Start out with a few exercises and slowly progress. Your body will gradually adapt to the increased stress. If you are starting resistance training for the first time, try picking 1-2 exercises for each area of the body - the upper body, lower body and core. Also take into consideration the anterior (front) and posterior (back) parts of the body. For example, if you pick two core exercises, you might try bicycle crunch for the abdominals (front of the body) and lumbar extension for the lower back (posterior part of the body).

If you are a beginner to aerobic training, start out with something like walking that raises your heart rate a little bit, nothing that will get you too out of breath. Try doing this for 10 minutes the first few times you exercise, slowly progressing the duration of the workout. If you've increased the time to a point where you can handle 30 minutes at that pace, start building a little more intensity. For example, you could attempt 2 or 3 days of 30 minutes each at your initial pace, followed by a 10-minute day at an increased intensity. Home DVDs are a great way to get fit and there are lots to choose from – check out the Unislim Lighten Up DVD!

Another area of frustration for the beginner is energy level. Most people expect to exercise the first few weeks and experience a shot of energy. In actuality, the opposite often occurs. Your body isn’t used to the added stress, which causes you to feel fatigued and even drained, especially if you overdo it. Don’t get discouraged; it’s natural to feel this way until your body adapts. As your body acclimatises itself, your cardiovascular system will become more conditioned, causing you to have more energy and focus throughout the day. Your efforts will pay off.

Overexertion will trigger stiffness and soreness, causing many people to give up on exercise completely. If you do overdo it, there are a few things you can do to feel better. Exercise actually breaks your muscles down – sleep, nutrition, and hydration play a vital role in their recovery. Proper rest, refueling your body with healthy food, and drinking plenty of water will help you recover much more quickly. In the days that follow, doing a low impact exercise at a low to moderate intensity and stretching afterwards will deliver more oxygen and blood to help clean out the waste and bring more nutrients to your muscles.

Your body loses a large quantity of water when you work out, so it is very important to drink more water as you exercise. Active people should drink at least eight glasses (200 ml each) a day, throughout the day, taking extra care to rehydrate during the workout. This will keep your joints moving fluidly, and flush out the toxins that might be building up in your muscles. Headaches, stiffness, and cramping are all results of dehydration.
Have you started an exercise programme recently? Tell us about it in the Unislim forum!

Short bursts of intense exercise every few days could dramatically cut the risk of diabetes and heart disease, researchers said.
Rather than slaving away for hours in the gym, people should focus their attention on quick "sprints" on an exercise bike, with each workout lasting just a few minutes.
James Timmons, professor of exercise biology at Heriot-WattUniversity in Edinburgh, published a study on the effects of quick exercise.
He said people could reduce their risk of diabetes and heart disease substantially with short, intense workouts.
In his study, published in the journal BMC Endocrine Disorders, 16 men exercised for three sessions a week for two weeks. It resulted in a 23 per cent improvement in insulin function.

What's the Best Time to Exercise?
There’s no right or wrong answer to this question! Some people swear by an early morning jog to get their hearts racing and get them psyched up for the day. Others wouldn't dream of putting on their runners before lunchtime, preferring a walk in the countryside after dinner. But is any one time of day the best time to exercise?
The truth is that there's no reliable evidence to suggest that calories are burned more efficiently at certain times of day. But the time of day can influence how you feel when exercising.

The most important thing is to choose a time of day you can stick with, so that exercise becomes a habit.

Your Body Clock
Your body's circadian rhythm determines whether you're a night owl or an early bird, and there's not much you can do to alter it.
Circadian rhythm is governed by the 24-hour pattern of the earth’s rotation. These rhythms influence body functions such as blood pressure, body temperature, hormone levels, and heart rate, all of which play a role in your body's readiness for exercise.

Using your body clock as a guide to when to go for a walk or hit the gym might seem like a good idea. But, of course, there are other important considerations, such as family and work schedules, or a friend's availability to walk with you.

The Perks of Morning Exercise
If you have trouble with consistency, morning may be your best time to exercise, experts say.

Research suggests that in terms of performing a consistent exercise habit, individuals who exercise in the morning tend to do better.

The thinking is that they get their exercise in before other time pressures interfere - no matter how well-intentioned some people are, if they don't exercise in the morning, other things will squeeze it out.

It’s important to note that if you exercise in the morning, your body temperature is lower, so you should allow more time to warm up than you would later in the day.

When Insomnia Interferes
Unfortunately, hitting the snooze button repeatedly isn't exercise. But, if you've had a bad night’s sleep the night before, it can seem a lot more appealing than jumping out of bed and hitting the treadmill.

Good, regular bedtime habits can help you beat insomnia. They include winding down before bedtime.

Exercising or eating too late can sabotage your body's urge to sleep. Both exercise and eating raise your heart rate and temperature which might keep you awake.
For some people, lunchtime is the best time to exercise, especially if colleagues keep you company. Just be sure to eat after you work out, not before.

Finding Your Own Best Time to Exercise
You don't have to be an expert on circadian rhythms to determine the best time to exercise. Try different times of the day and you’ll soon find out what works best for you.

Work out in the morning for a few weeks, then try noon, then early evening. Which do you enjoy most and which makes you feel best afterward? Also, consider the type of exercise, and other daily commitments.

Most important of all, find a time that helps you make your exercise a regular, consistent part of your life. This is more important than the time of day.

Establishing the Exercise Habit
One day, you'll reach a point where daily exercise comes as naturally as breathing. At that point, you may want variety. Keeping it fresh makes it more enjoyable and more likely to be continued.

But if you're still at the point where exercise is hit or miss, pencilling it in for the same time each day will help you make it a habit. Whether you choose morning, lunchtime, or after work to exercise, make it part of your routine. Starting out can be as simple as changing the route you come home from work so that you drive by a gym or exercise class. Get into the habit of going that way, and keep a bag of exercise gear in your car or at work, so you are ready to exercise anytime, anywhere!
What time of day do you exercise? Tell us about it now in the Unislim forum!

'This doesn't even seem like exercise'
· Gossiping with colleagues for 40 minutes a day... 42 calories
· Five minutes of stair climbing during day to gossip with colleagues... 43 calories
· 2 trips to cafe across road for skinny cappuccinos... 94 calories
· 1 hour of writing and replying to flirty emails... 90 calories
· 25 trips to printer and photocopier... 48 calories
· 30 minutes of trying on different outfits before leaving house... 95 calories
· 30 minutes of vigorous housework to prove I do not live in a pigsty... 143 calories

'MORE FUN THAN I IMAGINED'
· 1 hour romantic stroll... 285 calories
· 1 hour yoga class to set me on path to calmer life... 229 calories
· 2 hours being a disco diva on the dance-floor... 762 calories
· 90 minutes preparing sumptuous dinner for friends... 239 calories
· 45 minutes of clothes shopping in lunch hour... 214 calories
· 75-minute game of crazy golf with friends on Sunday... 237 calories
· 30-minute cycle ride each way to country pub for lunch with admirer... 508 calories

'TOUGH BUT I KNOW IT'S GOOD FOR ME'
· 30 minutes' circuit training... 254 calories
· 1 hour high-impact aerobics class... 445 calories
· 40-minute jog with best mate... 342 calories
· 40-minute game of squash... 508 calories
· 30 minutes of breaststroke in pool to boost boobs... 318 calories 30-minute powerwalk to work... 200 calories