Exercise is an important component of treatment for people who suffer from COPD. Still, most of us find it difficult to keep exercising regularly. Let's Get Fit is an independent exercise support group for people with COPD and their caregivers. Affiliated with COPD-Support, Let's Get Fit is intended to help its members stay motivated by participating in teams that serve as mutual support groups. The members and management of Let's Get Fit are not medical personnel, and it does not advocate particular exercise programs. Rather, members are encouraged to choose an exercise program that works for them and to exercise at their own pace. They communicate with their teammates daily by email to report on their progress and to offer each other understanding and encouragement.

More About LGF

Let's Get Fit started in 2000. COPD-Support member Margo Colmore was fearfully attending rehab. Her friend Camille Anderson, who had no access to rehab, asked Margo to pass on what she was learning. Struggling to maintain a regular exercise regimen, Camille and Margo decided to email each other daily to report on what they'd done that day and to help each other stay on track. Their experiment was so successful that in August 2001 Camille decided to offer membership to all copd-support.com subscribers and their caregivers. What had begun as a private buddy system soon turned into an extensive program with many teams of exercisers and is growing every day.

Each team is composed of 4-8 members, who are expected to write to the team every day and to abide by the Let's Get Fit Guidelines. The team has a captain, who acts as mentor, role model, and order-keeper, and a vice-captain, who steps in if the captain must be absent for any reason. Organizational decisions are made by the Executive Director with the assistance of the Assistant Director and the other members of the Staff and Advisory Group. All emails are read, both by a team's members and by Director, Assistant Director, and/or their assistants. New members are acclimated through "newbie" teams, where they have a chance to learn how the Let's Get Fit system works before being assigned to regular teams.

Let's Get Fit is not a substitute for a medically supervised rehabilitation program and should be undertaken only after consultation with your doctor. We do not tell members what to do, although we do offer exercise tips. But as the testimonials from members will demonstrate, regular exercise has helped many of us to maintain a quality of life that we might not otherwise be able to have. Supporting each other to achieve that goal is the reason for Let's Get Fit.