Experts warn that the longer you wait before starting to exercise, the harder it gets. But where can you start and how much do you need to do before you start to feel the benefits? In the first part of our series on exercise, Hélène Hofmangets some helpful tips on exercising for beginners
Despite the well-publicised benefits of an active lifestyle, the majority of Irish people get little or no exercise. Regular physical activity is proven to boost energy levels, keep weight under control and help prevent heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and certain cancers.
However, according to the National Health and Lifestyle Survey (Slán) published in 2002, about six out of 10 Irish people do not get enough exercise and 29 per cent get no exercise at all.
"Knowing where to start is difficult and people need to decide if they're exercising for health or exercising for fitness," according to Damien Jackson, national training co-ordinator for the National Certificate in Exercise and Fitness (NCEF) awarded by the University of Limerick.
"For health benefits it's generally said that you can break up 30 minutes into 10-minute segments throughout the day, but if you really want to improve your fitness you need to exercise for at least 20 minutes at once."
According to Jackson, a simple guide is to start with an exercise that takes you to 60 per cent of your maximum heart rate, which is roughly calculated by deducting your age from 220 and then getting 60 per cent of that figure to get the recommended beats per minute.
Gentle, low-intensity activities such as brisk walking, swimming or cycling are ideal for getting the major muscle groups moving and also benefit your heart and lungs.
These activities can then be combined with exercises to increase muscle strength and stretches to improve flexibility.
Anyone who has been inactive for more than a few months is advised to see their GP for a check-up to identify any potential problems and get advice on the most appropriate exercise for them.
"Adherence is the hardest part, so whichever exercise you pick you have to enjoy. It really depends on the person. Whether it's going for a cycle, aerobics or five-a-side, it doesn't matter if it suits you," says Jackson.
According to the national health and lifestyle survey, women are less likely than men to engage in strenuous physical activity.
Curves fitness centre, which has about 300 branches in the Republic, offers fitness programmes aimed at women who are starting to exercise.
Area manager Zelda Mooney is based in the Finglas centre, which has 800 members: "About 50 per cent of the women who come in have never exercised. They're all here for the same reason.
"There are no mirrors and there aren't the good looking models in spandex you might see in other gyms that can affect women's motivation," she explains.
Members do a 30-minute circuit workout, which includes strength building and various aerobic exercises, a minimum of three times a week. "The women who come in here have high blood pressure, they're way over their body fat limit and at risk of cardiovascular diseases.
"After a while, they're more toned, their energy increases and it takes inches of the waist and hip line.
"Once they see the results it keeps them going," she says.
Hiring a personal trainer to co-ordinate a programme based on your goals and current physical condition is an increasingly popular alternative to the gym for beginners.
The fitness trainer industry is not regulated in Ireland so it is advisable to check for qualifications and references.
According to Eugene Eivers, a personal trainer with T4 in Dublin: "If you join a gym, you're left to your own devices. There are tonnes of people already packed into the place and, as a beginner, you're under enough pressure as it is.
"So we can work on something outside of the gym that fits what they want.
"Beginners need to learn how to move first. It takes about six to eight weeks before you see any change in your body shape.
"So we would start with simple mobility exercises, stretches and get the major muscles groups moving first," according to Eivers.
"Then move on to body weight exercises like sit-ups and press-ups.
"The key is variety and finding what suits the person. Then you can look at nutrition - it's a whole lifestyle change, but the vast majority of people keep going once they get into it."
Next week: How to exercise when you have back pain.