Note: Check back often as Bill Phillips will be adding new information about EXERCISE each week to this section including: workout videos, new scientific findings about exercise and our health; we'll also feature the exact programs of men and women from here in our community who've successfully transformed their physical condition and health.

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BASIC, BALANCED IS BEST

There was a time when physical activity – hunting and gathering, plowing fields, walking from one destination to another, manual labor and doing work -- was a part of everyday life. Now is not that time.

Today, more than ever before in the history of human existence, we have the option of living a sedentary way of life. We don't necessarily have to put much physical effort into gathering our food; most of our manual labor has been delegated to machines; and our nation's primary pastimes are watching TV, playing video games, or enjoying the million and one things you can do on a personal computer. 

The result?

America is now the least healthy modern nation in the world; over 160 million American adults suffer from overweight and obesity, and millions of kids are succumbing to the unhealthy condition as well. It's literally a pandemic, which has already reached nearly 70 percent of our entire population. 

What's more, other modernized nations around the world are following our example. At a recent meeting of the International Congress on Obesity (a coalition of more than 2,500 experts and health officials) chairman Paul Zimmet, M.D., Ph.D. concluded: "This insidious, creeping pandemic of obesity is now engulfing the entire world. It's as big a threat as global warming." 

And Dr. Phillip James, British Chairman of the International Obesity Task Force, has gone on record stating, "We're dealing with a problem that, it is already accepted, is going to overwhelm every medical system in the world."

Clearly, we're facing a major challenge, which is destroying human health and well-being at a level that's beyond alarming. And it's one that's impacted each and every one of our lives – if not you personally, someone you know and love.

While policy makers at regulatory agencies and governments around the world search for the appropriate solutions and as pharmaceutical companies scramble to develop a perfect (or the least toxic) weight-loss pill which they can bring to market and literally make billions off of this crisis, I'm an advocate who believes that collective, even global, change occurs at the individual level. And I'm also a believer that the best approach is basic, balanced, and already known. 

So what is the solution? 

It's a lifestyle modification, which starts with reincorporating 'physical work' into our daily tasks. (Today, we call physical work exercise.) And this is something that we really need to see as essential, rather than optional. 

The good news is an effective exercise routine doesn't need to be at all complicated. In fact, what I've discovered over 30 years of personal experience with my own workouts is that the most sustainable methods are the ones which are the most basic. 

For example, I've got a few dozen folks that I've been working with locally who I initially set up exercise programs for over 15 years ago and they're still keeping at it today. They're also getting good results. Their routine? For some, it's as simple as going for a brisk walk for 30 minutes, 3 or 4 days a week. For others, it's a combination of 20 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise 3 times a week and a half-hour of basic weightlifting with a pair of dumbbells, done on alternating days, also 3 days a week. Some do this at home and others at a gym. 

HOW TO GET STARTED

If you're just starting out with an exercise program or are coming back to it after considerable time off, be sure to first check with your doctor (he'll very likely give you the thumbs up and even congratulate you on your decision) and then simply start with a minimum of two hours of exercise per week. And as I mentioned, it can be as simple as walking and/or jogging for 30 minutes 4 times a week or doing the same amount of training on equipment like a treadmill, Stairmaster or stationary bike. Swimming, playing tennis, hiking or skiing count as workouts too.

And if you've been training for a few months or longer, you can aim for four hours of exercise per week to begin. The workout in my Body-for-LIFE book is of course, tried and true and is a good example of a balanced approach which includes both high-intensity aerobics and progressive-resistance strength training. It's still an excellent choice for people who are looking to gain muscularity while getting lean. I can recommend that approach to people who have less than twenty pounds of bodyfat to lose to be in top shape. 

Those who have considerably more weight to lose during the transformation process, and who have been exercising for a few months already, I recommend four days of aerobic exercise per week like I described above and two days of strength training. This can be similar to the Body-for-LIFE weight training routine but that program is an option, not at all a requirement.  Scientific studies have shown that significant health benefits from strength training can be derived from as little as one set per exercise done with a moderate weight, provided you perform the exercise until relative muscle failure (to the point where you just can't lift it anymore).

Remember, the transformation program has a lot of elements in it beyond working out and so I need to ask you to not 'over-focus' on this issue. What I'm asking is for you to not think about it so much, but to rather just get it done. And throughout this 18 weeks I need you to keep doing it. The most important exercise principle of all is simply consistency. And also keep in mind what I said is that we want to pick a form of exercise that gives us the good results in the minimum amount of time, and one that is practical for each of our schedules. For those of us who have very little time to spare, working out at home first thing in the morning, or getting outside for a walk or jog on a lunch break or after work, on a regular basis, can get the job done.

I'm asking you to begin where you are and not try to do too much too soon. For these first two weeks, I just need you to get moving; plain and simple. And as we continue on in this journey, I'll let you know when it's time to take it up a notch. And I'll be teaching you about new exercises and ways to build your own personal workout routine here in this exercise section. I'll even have exercise videos which you can access here for free to help you learn about proper form, workout tempo, and also some tips for achieving maximum workout intensity.

Okay now if you want to share what you're going to be doing for your exercise as we get started, and ask questions to people who have experienced good success so far in their transformation work, please click here to visit our active, open forums where you'll find an abundance of positive support and encouragement.

Join the open discussion about EXERCISE in the forums by clicking here now.