Texans have always bragged they do things in a big way. Big hair, big cars, big ranches and by looking at the latest statistics on obesity, it looks like we enjoy big amounts of food, too. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) two thirds of us are overweight while 28.1% of Texans are obese. That number climbs to 32% for women and men aged 50--59 years of age. This is one category where we Texans don't want to be big. The 27% of the rise in health care spending from 1987 to 2001 was accounted for by increases in the proportion of and spending on obese people relative to healthy weight individuals.

As we notice our waistlines growing, many of us naturally want to do something about it. For some, that means becoming more active. With busy schedules getting busier in the next couple of weeks once the kids go back to school, time for exercise is hard to find. Many times the only time to exercise is on the weekend. Those who exercise once or twice a week for long periods of time are often called "weekend warriors." The other term for this activity is binge exercise.

We are more familiar with the term binge drinking and the troubles associated it. We may even be familiar with binge eating if we have a family member or friend who has an eating disorder. The belief that if a little of a something is good for you then a lot of something has to be better for you is inaccurate. Moderate amounts of alcohol consumed with food and while not driving may have health benefits. Research has demonstrated that slow weight loss over long periods of time is the healthiest way to lose weight. And adding a little exercise at a time to your daily routine is not only the safest method to achieve a fitness-oriented lifestyle, it also gives you a better chance of staying with the program for years to come.

If you currently practice binge exercise and would like to take up a serious walking or running program, here's some advice.

Before You Begin

Consider these tips before you lace up the sneakers and head out the door or walk into the gym.

• Schedule a meeting with your doctor. You may need to get a physical to determine your current condition and readiness to participate in an exercise program
• Follow a structured exercise program designed by a qualified fitness professional. If you're unsure about how to start an exercise program, ask friends for trainer referrals. Trainers should have references that you can contact and ask about their successful results.
• An exercise plan is only that, a plan. It is to be a guide but it is expected that you listen to your body and make modifications to the plan. Older individuals will need to plan on additional rest between intense workouts.
• Set realistic targets. If you plan to run or walk in an event when it gets cooler, plan on one month of training for each mile you plan to walk or run.
• Hot weather places additional stress on your system. If you're just starting out, keep the times spent exercising to a minimum and remember to hydrate properly.

The Mayor's Fitness Council of Austin recommends at least 2 hours and 30 minutes each week of aerobic physical activity at a moderate level OR at least 1 hour and 15 minutes each week of aerobic physical activity at a vigorous level. This amount of time should be spread over multiple days of the week and with rest days between days of activity or evenly spread over six days. In addition to cardio workouts, strengthening workouts and flexibility sessions should be planned for as well. This will add a little more time to the overall plan but the variety will also help prevent injury.

Getting Started

Runtex has created a program designed to prepare you for a 5K and/or a 10K. The program is divided into three different categories: Walkers, first time runners or those getting back into running, and those wanting to get faster.

Before getting started, it is important to understand how your body responds to workouts and what causes improvements in fitness and endurance. It is not during the work session that your body improves, it is during the rest. No rest, no improvement. The body responds to physical stress by adapting in three main areas. The heart and lungs become more efficient, the muscles become stronger and the bones and tendons increase density. If you increase your activity too much, your body will break down. If you are starting properly, you will avoid soreness and injury.

There are three main factors in a training program; Duration, Intensity and Frequency (DIF). It is very important that as you try to make improvements, you dont increase these factors by more than ten percent per week. Most people go from sedentary or low levels to high levels of all three and end up injured within three weeks and then take six-to-eight weeks to recover.

It is important when starting out to keep your intensity and duration low and get your frequency up to five days a week. After you get your frequency up, you can then increase your duration to get you ready for a 10K. There is a rule that in a one time effort, you can do three times the distance of your average run/walk. The program will prepare you better than this, but it is nice to know you dont have to rush your training to be prepared. You should keep the Intensity low until you are used to the frequency and duration of this program.

Your training program should have a full range of workouts to maximize your potential, avoid injury and boredom. The different types of workouts are long intervals, short intervals, resistance work (hills), steady states, over-distance and the un-workout, rest. Planning the rotation and intensity of these workouts is the secret to becoming a runner or walker.

It is very important to understand how the body responds to exercise and how much is too much. The approach is very conservative approach for the first four-to-six weeks. The workouts proposed are not written in stone, listen to your body first, the workout program second. For more information on this exercise plan and if you're interested in weeks two through twelve, visit Runtex.com.

Golden Rules

There are three basic rules that should always be followed. While exercise programs may differ on how many days of the week you should walk or run, they all agree on these three golden rules.

• When adding more distance or time to your exercise schedule, only add up to 10% to the total mileage for the week.
• In addition, don't add more than 10% to the long walk or run if one is scheduled.
• Don't put intense workouts on consecutive days. Insert a day of rest or cross training between days.