Now You Want Me to Exercise?

According to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, “If exercise and regular physical activity benefit the body, a sedentary lifestyle does the opposite, increasing the chances of becoming overweight and developing a number of chronic diseases.  This week, I want to directly talk about exercise.  Hear me out, you’re either already agreeing with me because you are actively exercising on a regular basis, or you’re already saying to yourself that you know all the benefits, but….  The excuses are beginning and probably the first being, “I don't have any more time in the day.”  (Remember…it’s not that you don’t have any time, we all have 24 hours, the real reason is that exercise isn't a priority.)  Yes, I know there are other reasons why you are telling yourself you can’t exercise, but read on.  There is SOMETHING that each of us can do!  IT’S IMPORTANT!!

Before going on, my story is one that probably sounds familiar, and my story is also full of excuses.  Working full time, going in early to take kids to school then getting ready for my teaching day, followed by all the demands of after school activities, fitting in dinner, and then grading papers or planning for the next day, my days were full and NO I didn't make exercising a priority.  The good news/bad news was I didn't have a weight problem therefore, I didn't think I needed to exercise.  (Of course, that’s also a limited understanding about exercise as it isn't just about weight loss.)  It wasn't until I was in my late 40’s did I begin to put a little exercise into my day.  Curves was the big craze, the Curves Centers were everywhere, they focused on women, and it was about 30 minutes.  That was my first introduction to the exercise world.  I admit I was surprised with how much more energy I found I had. After a couple of years Curves wasn't meeting my needs any more.  Jon and I came across some videos eg Slim in Six by Beach Body.  We began to use our basement as our “gym,” and we made a commitment to work out five days a week.  That was my next step.

My first suggestion for you is to decide if you are now willing to find time to do something.  You definitely need to assess your preferences - where and when do you prefer to do that “something?”  Are you someone who needs a partner or a support group to work out with?  Do you like a place like the Y or an athletic club, or are you ok doing videos in front of your TV at home?  Maybe you like to swim laps or walk around a track?  Maybe you just like to walk around the block especially when the weather warms up.  What works for you?  What is going to set you up to be successful from the start?  You must find something that is doable and will work for you, your time constraints, and your preferences.  Knowing what works best for you will allow you to be more apt to follow through on your commitment.  I, for one, did not like the athletic club environment; therefore, I was not committed. That meant I wasn't consistent in going and yes, I finally quit. 

“Although there are no sure-fire recipes for good health, the mixture of healthy eating and regular exercise comes awfully close.  Regular exercise or physical activity helps many of the body’s systems function better, keeps heart disease, diabetes, and a host of other diseases at bay, as well as a key ingredient for losing weight.”  What’s surprising is that “only 30% of adult Americans report they get regular physical activity during their leisure time and about 40% say they get no leisure-time physical activity at all.”  According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and Prevention, “inactivity was associated with more than 9 million cases of cardiovascular disease in 2001, at an estimated direct medical cost of nearly $24 billion – and that was 14 years ago!!  If we can get people to become more active, we can cut yearly medical costs in the U.S. by more than $70 billion plus!”

As a brief overview, the benefits of exercise are numerous!  Exercise: (1) helps prevent disease, (2) improves stamina, (3) strengthens and tones when resistance training is included, (4) enhances flexibility which includes better posture and is key as you get older, (5) is key to weight control, (6) improves the overall quality of life.  According to the Mayo Clinic article on “Benefits of Regular Activity,” they also include the following benefits:  (1) not only will exercise prevent excess weight gain but will help maintain weight loss, (2)  there’s a decrease in your risk of cardiovascular diseases, and helps prevent a wide range of health problems such as stoke, type 2 diabetes, depression, certain types of cancer, arthritis, and falls, (3) stimulates various brain chemicals helping relieve stress, you may feel better about your appearance which boosts confidence and self-esteem, (4) when you’re feeling more energized because of the activity, you look better which does have a positive effect on your sex life J Not a bad list of positives. But is it enough to make you decide that you need to make a change in your level of activity?

Denise Austin wrote an article for AARP, “7 Healthy Lifestyle Tips.”   Now at age 58 she shares these tips with the first one the foundation….START!!  “It’s all about establishing a routine even if it’s 10 minutes to move and five minutes added the next time.  (2) Mix up your activity for best results which also helps with not getting bored.  Intervals blast the fat, (3) Find your personal joy in WHY you want to get healthy, (4) Be CONSISTENT.  Consistency is KEY!  (5)  If you use music, vary what you listen to, (6) Eat well 80% of the time.  Denise gives herself “cheat meals” 20% of the time.  It’s a balance.  That would not be the case, however, if you have a great deal of weight to lost first, (7) Keep superfoods on hand – banish junk food. 

Our daughter made a decision almost a year ago that she wanted to look and feel better.  She and her husband are in their early 30’s, and have committed to the importance of exercise as a priority for all of the above benefits.  They both work full time, they have two children, and are BUSY.  Elsa has been focusing on changing their eating habits by planning meals two to three weeks in advance and also plans out healthy snack choices for all of them to have on hand.  The key is once again healthy eating AND exercising as a mindset.  This is not something that happens overnight.  What it does take is a mindset, commitment, and consistency.  She made a decision to START.  No more excuses.

 

“Exercise is one of those rare things where the hype actually meets reality.  Next to not smoking, getting regular physical activity is arguably the best thing you can do for your health.  Any amount of exercise is better than none.  The more you get, though, the better. 

I wish you a week of starting YOUR physical activity,.  Set yourself up to be successful,  know your limits, know your personal needs, and find the tools eg. Yoga class, videos, etc. you need to get started. I’d love to hear your thoughts.