Q: Everywhere we find guidelines on how to start exercising. But there is nothing about how to stop exercising. Many people believe that if one stops exercising then tummy comes out and they accumulate fat everywhere. I am regular on exercises for the past few months. One cannot do it forever. One day we have to stop it. I am worried about the consequences of stopping. Please advise.

A:Flexibility and coordination exercises do not cause any side effects if you decide to stop doing exercises. Strengthening exercises do need caution before you stop. If you have been on any medication for increasing your muscle bulk, consult your doctor before you give up. You should use the same method that you used for increasing your exercises but in the reverse order and keep a check on all the parameters, like, heart rate, pulse, breathing pattern, anxiety level. You should monitor them every week and go on decreasing your exercises accordingly. If you experience any difficulty, go back to the previous week’s routine and after 2-3 days, again check and go on from there. At the end, do simple relaxation. While coming to and end of your pattern where you have been almost able to stop exercises, you should be able to do relaxation for at least 20 minutes. I suggest keep to some aerobic exercises as they will keep you fit. They can be even in the form of a sport or simple walking or even going up the stairs instead of taking an elevator.