Are you ready?

Before you increase your activity, take a look at where you are now. Ask yourself these questions:

• Is physical activity safe for me? For some people, some forms of physical activity might be unsafe or should only be started after a talk with a doctor. If you have any concerns, talk to your doctor before you start any exercise or fitness program. He or she may want to help you build an exercise plan (What is a PDF document?) matched to your needs.
• What challenges get in my way? You may have barriers in your life that get in the way of becoming more active. These may be a lack of time, having no one to exercise with, or fear of getting hurt.

Changing your thinking

If you need to make some lifestyle changes to become more active, you'll have more success if you first change the way you think about certain things:

• Don't compare yourself to others. Healthy bodies come in all shapes, sizes, and ages. One person's choice of activity won't be right for another person. Some people use fitness to become Olympic champions, while others use it to feel as good as possible.
• Think positive. You can help yourself succeed just by thinking that you can succeed. If you tell yourself negative things-"I can't do this. Why bother?"-change will be harder. But if you encourage yourself with thoughts like "I can do this," you can raise your odds of success. For more information, see:

  Positive Thinking With Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy.

  Positive thinking: Stopping unwanted thoughts.

Changing your habits

Making any kind of change in the way you live your daily life is like being on a path. The path leads to success. Here are the first steps on that path:

1. Have your own reason for making a change. If you do it because someone else wants you to, you're less likely to have success. Know why it's important to you to meet your goals.
2. Set goals. Include long-term goals as well as short-term goals that you can measure easily.
3. Think about what might get in your way, and prepare for slip-ups.
4. Get support from your family, your doctor, your friends-and from yourself.
5. Measure improvements to your health. For example, keep track of your blood pressure, cholesterol, or blood sugar. Or see how you can shorten the time it takes to walk a mile.

Learn more about each step:

1. Have your own reasons for making a change

Your reason for wanting to make a lifestyle change is really important. Don't do it just because your spouse or boyfriend or parent wants you to. What makes you want be more active?

• Do you want to feel better, have more energy, and enjoy life?
• Do you have a specific health concern (bone and muscle strength, heart health, mood, or something else)?
• Do you want to feel better about how you look?
• Do you have another reason for wanting to do this?