Exercise will become an integral part of your overall medical weight loss plan. So naturally, you want to do it right. While any activity is better than none, we definitely don’t recommend that you simply head to the gym and wing it. Instead, use these nine tips to put together a more effective workout to burn calories and reach your goals.

Get an assessment. Your first step should be to make an appointment with us, so that we can assess your fitness level and screen you for underlying conditions. Then, with your doctor’s approval, you can design an appropriate exercise routine.

Decide upon your goals. What are your exact goals? Your workout routine might not look exactly like your friend’s or neighbor’s, because you have your own goals in mind.

Include a warm-up period. Every workout should include a warm-up period to help you prevent injuries. The last thing you want is to be sidelined by a bum knee or pulled muscle, and to lose progress toward your medical weight loss plan.

Decide upon a structure. For many people, doing the harder part of the workout first is motivating. Get it out of the way, and feel a sense of accomplishment.

Change it up. Don’t do the exact same workout every day, or you’ll soon become bored with both your exercise routine and your medical weight loss plan.

Use proper form. Using the right form will help you to prevent injuries that cost you days or weeks of progress. If you’re not sure of the proper form for a move, schedule a session with a personal trainer.

Choose the right amount of weight. If you’re pursuing a weight training routine, choose weights that feel challenging, but they shouldn’t be a struggle or feel dangerous.

Use rest periods. With weight training, you need a few seconds to a few minutes of rest between sets. And one day per week of “rest” from all exercise is a good idea too.

Journal. Write down your progress toward goals. It will feel motivating to look back and see how far you’ve come, and helps you keep your exercise program on track.

And of course, don’t hesitate to seek support. If you need help with any aspect of your medical weight loss plan or exercise program, do give us a call to schedule an appointment.