How to start exercising when you're out of shape

If it has been months or years since you last moved on purpose, the hardest part isn't fitness. It's the gap between where you are and the picture in your head of where you should be. So skip the picture. You don't need a plan, a program or new gear to begin. You need one small movement you can finish today.

Make day one almost too easy

Most fresh starts fail because day one is built for the person we hope to become. Build it for the person you are this afternoon instead. Five minutes is enough. Finishing something small teaches you that you're someone who moves, and that feeling is what brings you back tomorrow.

Pick one movement

1. Walk. Out the door and back, around the block, or laps of your home. Walking is the easiest place to begin.
2. Stretch. Slow, gentle reaches for your neck, shoulders, back and legs, wherever you're stiff.
3. Dance. One or two songs you love, in the kitchen. It counts.
4. Light strength. Sit-to-stands from a chair, wall push-ups, a few slow squats. Stop well before it feels hard.

Choose the one that sounds least like a chore. That's the right one.

Go at a pace where you can talk

Early on, easy is the point. If you can hold a conversation while you move, you're doing it right. You should finish feeling a little warmer and a little proud, not wiped out. If you have a health condition or haven't been active in a long time, a quick check-in with your doctor is a good first step.

Then do it again, without making it bigger

Tomorrow, repeat the same small thing. Add minutes only when today's amount starts to feel easy. Missed a day? Nothing is lost. Starting again is part of starting.

Common questions

How much exercise should I do on day one?

Less than you think. Five easy minutes of walking or stretching is a real start. The goal of day one is to finish feeling like you could do it again tomorrow.

What is the easiest exercise to start with?

Walking. It needs no equipment, no skill and no special place, and you can make it shorter or slower whenever you need to.

What if I miss a day?

Nothing is lost. Pick one movement and do it today. Starting again is part of starting.