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Before You Start...

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 My biggest mistake before I started my journey toward a healthy lifestyle was not getting any kind of physical or consulting with anyone. It's in my nature to do things myself. I read information in book form and online sources. I went to WebMD to calculate my BMI which is based on weight and height.

 Unfortunately, I missed a step. I didn't know anything else about my condition. I knew my blood pressure was normal, but it was moving towards the high zone. I didn't know the condition of my heart. Because I was 39 at the time, I didn't think my heart was a problem.

 The good news is that my heart did not give out. However, when I first started an exercise routine, I needed to get my heart in condition. Yes, I felt pain in my arms and legs from my muscles which is to be expected. However, until my heart and lungs began to get stronger, I had little endurance. This could have been disastrous. Had my heart been in worse shape I could've ended up having a cardiac emergency. If I died, people would have read about it and said, "See, he died from all that exercise." And they would be discouraged from seeking out a healthy lifestyle. 

 So, the moral of the story, find out what you can and can't do at first. When it comes to fitness, it may be a matter of starting out walking and working your way to a brisk walk. Get a physical and tell a medical professional what your plan is. Not just for the physical activity, but when it comes to tweaking how and what you eat (I will address food in my next post), you'll want to know the level of nutrition you're going to need. And don't start a nutrition and fitness program without consulting a medical professional first.

 Okay, I'm placing a link to another Amazon product. I haven't read it. It's Fitness for Dummies. However, I've read other Dummies books, and I always find them helpful if not entertaining.



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