It is easy to find reasons not to exercise and common myths about exercise can foster a lack of activity. Anyone can exercise in one way or another. First we need to look at these myths and get at the truth.
You may believe that exercise hurts. This fallacy probably developed because many people become overly enthusiastic about exercising and they overdo it. Before long they get sore, it does hurt, and they quit. Healthy movement is comfortable and can help to prevent, not cause pain. The secret is to learn to listen to your body. When you have exercised to the point of pain, your body is telling you that you have gone a little too far. Start gently and get stronger. Remember, motion is lotion for the joints.
You may think you don’t have time to exercise. It does not take hours to improve your health and fitness levels. When done properly and at the right intensity, aerobic movement can be effective in as little as 15 minutes and resistance movement can be effective in an even shorter time (2-3 minutes). Exercising the right way three to four days a week will improve your health and fitness levels. Better to persist in doing a little exercise than to start by working too hard and quitting.
The third myth is that exercise can be performed only in a gym or with a lot of home exercise equipment. Walking is good exercise and people have told me the only time they were able to lose weight was when they were walking daily. You can do weight lifting with plastic jugs filled with water or sand, increasing the amount as you become stronger.
Resistance exercises can be done against the wall or floor. You can turn on the radio and dance with no special equipment. Whatever exercise you do, deep breathing makes it more effective in every way, including weight loss.
You may think you are too old to exercise. Do you think exercise is just for body builders, marathon runners, or the young? Not so. A movement program is essential for every kind or type of person. Not only can regular movements be performed at any age, persistent exercise can even slow down or reverse the aging process. When we get older, our bodies are likely to deteriorate fast without movement. Keeping the blood sugar at a healthy level is another benefit of exercise.
The truth is that exercise is necessary for good health. Our bodies are meant to move. Perhaps you have a condition that causes you to have to use a walker or cane. You can walk as much as is comfortable and then do arm exercises and deep abdominal breathing.
The simple act of learning to breathe deeply, and practicing it, can improve health. A lack of oxygen is a basic cause of many disorders. Even if you are bedfast, you can practice deep breathing.
Another fallacy that surrounds exercise is that in order to gain benefit you must suffer pain and discomfort. Stretching is one of the most beneficial forms of exercise. That is why yoga has lasted for thousands of years. If you do some simple stretches each morning before arising, you will feel better all day. A few minutes spent stretching can go far in doing away with morning stiffness.
Exercise is usually promoted for weight loss and better circulatory health. However, in a five-year study of men and women aged 65 and older, researchers found that exercisers were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, and were less likely to see a drop-off in their mental abilities
Persistence is the key. However few minutes you spend exercising, stay with it. It is better to do a little and do it daily than to exercise vigorously for a month and stop for good. Making it easier on yourself in the beginning may make help you to keep exercising for the long haul. As you start to feel better, you will want to exercise more.
Figuring out ways to maintain regular physical activity throughout the life cycle is important. Even a walk around the block with a good friend can do wonders for both mental and physical health.
Exercise is a good way to get started on a health improvement program. Once you learn self control and discipline in one area, it is easier to move it over into another practice. Disciplining yourself in exercising can give you the confidence you need to start eating a healthier diet. The more you do, the more you feel like doing.
A reader told me this week that since she has changed to a healthy lifestyle, and lost 50 pounds she feels so much better. She has discovered a well-kept secret – it is more fun to feel good than to eat junk food!
(Janice Norris lives in Heber Springs, has a B.S. in home economics from Murray State University, taught home economics, owned and operated health food stores in Illinois and Heber Springs, has taught numerous health and nutrition classes, and wrote a weekly newspaper column in Illinois for 15 years. She can be reached at janicenorris34@yahoo.com)
