Just as the fabled turtle outran the hare, consistent people reap the health benefits of regular physical fitness efforts, said Indiana University Bloomington fitness expert Carol Kennedy. How should a newly converted fitness enthusiast begin? How about 10,000 steps a day? Not necessary, Kennedy said. Twenty or 30 minutes of continuous, rigorous exercise? Take a break -- or two or three, she said.Exercising with a buddy helps people stick with their plans.
The bottom line with any exercise program is that it needs to be fun, have a reasonable timetable and produce an enhanced quality of life. These are things that help make it a lifestyle habit, not just a New Year's resolution, she said. "If you begin a rigorous fitness program and you crash and burn, it's like yo-yo dieting. It doesn't work," said Kennedy, a lecturer in IUB's Department of Kinesiology in the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. "It's about making a behavioral change in your life. It doesn't happen overnight. It starts with making it fun and purposeful." Home videos, swimming, walking, cardio machines -- Kennedy said it doesn't matter what fitness enthusiasts choose, as long as it's something they enjoy and will continue doing.
Here are some tips to try and fallacies to avoid on the journey to fitness:
The health benefits of exercise can be experienced with 20-60 minutes of continuous or non-continuous exercise, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. This debunks the notion that these benefits, such as a reduced risk of heart disease or lower levels of sugar in the blood, only come with continuous exercise. Exercise can occur in chunks throughout the workout or throughout the day, Kennedy said.
"Why don't we look at the gym like it's a playground?" she said. "Who spends the whole time on the slide? Why not spend 10 minutes on the elliptical cardio machine, go get a drink of water, talk to a friend and then return for another 10 minutes. Make it an enjoyable experience. Think of your fitness experience as you once thought of a playground as a kid."
Goals are important and can help define a workout. Weight goals, however, are not always productive. Exercising, Kennedy said, does not guarantee weight loss. She said goals should relate to quality of life. Fitness goals for some people might involve being able to play on the floor with their grandchildren without experiencing back pain, for example.
For other people, their goal could be climbing the steps to their office or apartment without huffing and puffing. These kinds of goals can bring about great self-esteem once accomplished, in addition to improving one's health. They can propel people to set further goals and to see their exercise program as important to their lives, Kennedy said.
For other people, their goal could be climbing the steps to their office or apartment without huffing and puffing. These kinds of goals can bring about great self-esteem once accomplished, in addition to improving one's health. They can propel people to set further goals and to see their exercise program as important to their lives, Kennedy said.
The U.S. Surgeon General recommends 30 minutes of exercise on most days, Kennedy said. Some people accomplish this simply with an active lifestyle. They park a little farther from their office, walk to work instead of driving, or walk to lunch instead of ordering out.
Kennedy is a big fan of pedometers, but she said walkers receive substantial health benefits from 6,000 steps a day, rather than 10,000 steps a day, as commonly discussed. She said the amount of decline in the mortality rate is significantly less between 6,000 steps and 10,000 steps. Exercising with a buddy helps people stick with their plans. Adopted From http://newsinfo.iu.edu
