How to Start Your Exercise Regimen (Get Moving!)

Scale of Perceived Exertion

Another way to measure your exercise intensity is to use a "scale of perceived exertion." On a scale of one to 10, where one means you're drooling on your pillow and 10 means you're at death's door, you want to exercise at a stage five or six, squarely in between a nap and a stroke.

There are several official exertion scales out there, but they can be confusing and a little academic. We'll break it down for you in terms that sleep-deprived, brain-addled moms like us can relate to:

Stage 1: You're asleep.
Stage 2: You're sitting on the couch watching television.
Stage 3: You're walking up and down the aisles of your favorite store.
Stage 4: You're walking easily and steadily, starting to sweat a bit, but able to chat with a friend. Example: Walking the dog or taking a not-too-intense yoga class.
Stage 5: You're working harder and sweating steadily, but can still talk if you take a breath before you speak. Example: A fast walk at a steady pace or a hike.
Stage 6: You're breathing in and out with your mouth open, concentrating on your workout. Example: Biking, jogging, step aerobics, or kick boxing.
Stage 7: You're going hard. You can last several minutes, but will need to recover before doing it again. Example: Biking up a steep hill and requiring the downhill coast before pedaling hard again; running up and down stairs or performing jumping jacks.
Stage 8: You're sprinting as fast as you can go. You can last less than 60 seconds. You can't speak an entire sentence.
Stage 9: You're about to pass out.
Stage 10: You're surrounded by paramedics.

For most workouts, if you exercise at stage five or six for about an hour, you'll steadily burn calories without feeling like you've been run over by a truck the next day.

So schedule your three workouts, lace up your shoes, tug on your sports bra, and get to sweatin', mama!