It is necessary to get an overall view of what you hope to accomplish with a fitness plan and how to proceed. You have to let exercise become a regular habit in your life so it will be successful. A lot of times people pay scant attention to the reason for this.

Your body will require extra energy to function once you have undertaken an exercise program at least 3 times each week. A multi-vitamin/mineral supplement is also a necessary addition to your diet and exercise regimen, along with the extra calories that provide more energy. Listen to your body, and be prudent, if you are beginning an exercise program and a new diet concurrently.

Don't fall into the trap of skipping your warm up sessions just because you are in a hurry or don't have the patience. In order to prevent injury, the first thing you must do before you exercise is stretch out your muscle groups. There are a few simple and quick stretches you can do to warm up and stretch the muscles in your upper body. Trunk stretches are one of the stretches you can use for your upper body. You lightly place your hands at your waist and twist around to the right and to the left - holding the extreme position gently at each side. It's also important to warm up and stretch your upper back and neck. So in that case you can do forward bends but be careful to avoid bending too far.

Flexibility is very important, regardless of what kind of workout you plan to do. Stretch out your legs also. One good way to do this is to walk briskly for 15 minutes and then do some standard leg stretches. It easy to find stretches that target your legs, tendons, and ligaments so your legs become warmed up before your workout. No matter what level of fitness you have when you begin, always take it slow at first and treat your muscles with care. Your hamstring muscles can be stretched out by gently bending at the waist. Only bend down as far as you can comfortably reach. Don't force it. Never, ever bounce or jerk to reach a position or further a stretch.

Besides giving your muscles time to recover after a workout, you also have to allow for a sufficient amount of sleep each night. During sleep, your body rejuvenates itself from your daily activities, including exercise. One downfall worth mentioning is that if you don't allow yourself to have enough sleep, you will be more apt to sustain an injury during your workout. Your outlook on life and your energy will all benefit when you get a good night's sleep. In the final analysis, you usually can't come up with a good excuse for not beginning, and maintaining, a simple exercise program. The important factor is to find an exercise plan that you enjoy. This way, it will work to your benefit. You must be naturally attracted to any form of exercise you choose so you don't lose interest. After you figure out what you can do to become fit, visit your doctor and get clearance to proceed. After visiting your doctor and getting the OK from him or her, assemble any equipment or gear you might need and put your plan into action. The biggest mistake you can make is to think you can workout like a teen-ager with no ill effects. You will only be deluding yourself and are apt to suffer an injury.