Step 1: Test Your Level of Fitness

You will want to establish fitness benchmarks against which to measure your progress. The following fitness tests will allow you to adjust your fitness program to achieve quicker results:

• Body Mass Index (BMI): A test that estimates a healthy body weight and disease risk. This test is use by many healthcare professionals.
  
  
• Body Fat % (BF%): A test that estimates your body fat percentage and ideal targeted body weight. This test can be used to measure the effectiveness of your exercise and diet program.
  
  
• Heart Rate Calculator: A test to predict your heart rate percentage at various levels of exercise exertion.
  
  
• Daily Calorie & Carbo-Gram Calculator: A test that helps you estimate your carbo-gram and caloric intake requirements to achieve your targeted body weight.

Step 2: Select An Exercise Program

First, talk to your doctor and get permission to exercise. You will want to select an exercise program based on your fitness condition from the options below:

• Aerobic Exercise: Aerobic exercise will help you develop cardiorespiratory fitness. Aerobic exercise is performed at 60% to 85% of your maximum heart rate.
  
  
• Interval Training: Interval training will help you devleop strength, speed, build lean muscle mass and promote weight loss. Invterval training is performed at a wide range of heart rates.
  
  
• Weight Training: Weight training will improve the fitness level of women, men, athletes, and the elderly. Proactive health and the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle and body image are the core concepts of weight training.
  
  
• Flexibility: Flexibility is the key to reducing neck, shoulder, low back pain, and other commonly pain found in the workplace.

Step 3: Select A Weight-Loss Program

• Food Exchange System (FES): Learn how to use the FES by matching your metabolism and caloric needs to achieve your ideal body weight. See Sample Diet Plans.
  
  
• Daily Calorie Calculator: Determine your recommended caloric intake to achieve a healthy body weight.
  
  
• Body Mass Index (BMI): Review this chart to determine a healthy body weight.
  
  
• Current Diet RDAs: Discover the daily recommended intake for vitamins and minerals.
  
  
• Glycemic Index: If you are trying to lose weight, limit your consumption of high glycemic index foods.