Monday, January 30, 2012

Exercise and Will Power - Part Two Getting Started

Sometimes, the hardest part about getting enough physical activity is the getting started part. It is so easy to talk ourselves out of exercise. There are a million things that need doing, and if you aren't enthusiastic about exercising (or even if you are), it can be difficult to make it a priority. Don't talk yourself out of it!

If you have set aside a specific time for your exercise, then get yourself ready ahead of time. Put on the appropriate clothes, start thinking positive thoughts about how good you will feel, maybe listen to some "get up and go" music while folding laundry or running the vacuum or whatever it is that you are doing during the day. Then when the time comes, go for it! (I wanted to say "just do it", but that slogan is already taken isn't it?)

Be prepared for negative thoughts. One of my clients was a busy career mom. She found the most success was to get up early and exercise in the mornings before she got herself ready for work and her children ready for school. The biggest challenge was not talking herself out of her exercise. Lying in bed, it might still be dark outside, cold, and the bed feels so warm and cozy. Maybe it was a late night and there wasn't enough sleep. There are so many thoughts that can enter our minds as we are contemplating making the time to exercise.

Know this ahead of time. Be prepared for the negative talk. Be present and aware - and then don't let it happen. When the negative thoughts start, remind yourself of all the good reasons for getting up and getting your exercise done. Talk to yourself encouragingly as you would talk to a friend. In my post Voices In My Head I talk about the negative dialogue we often carry around with us. The first step is to be aware of it, the second step is to correct it. If you are going to make exercise a part of your life, you have to carry the right dialogue in your head to succeed.

If you haven't already, I suggest you read Exercise and Will Power - Part One. I talk about "using our will to accomplish something despite obstacles. Doing something even when it is hard. This is certainly a quality we would like our children to develop, and often the best way to do so is by being a living example of strong will forces ourselves."

Once you get started, it becomes easier to make exercise a part of your weekly routine. Oh there will be times when life gets in the way, but it will be easier to get back on track the longer you stick with it. As I mentioned in Homeschool Burn Out, your good health is the most important gift you can give to your family.

Now, the question becomes where to start? For each of you the answer will be different. For some, it will mean including a brisk walk three days each week. By "brisk" I mean faster than the grocery store walk, and definitely faster than the toddler walks you take with your kids. But start where you are. If you have knee and/or back issues, then take it easy. The point is to do SOMETHING. Work on improving with time. If the best you can do to start is a 10-minute walk around the neighborhood, three times a week, then that is where you start. You can work on increasing your time to 15-minutes and then eventually to 30-minutes. And then you can add another day each week.

On the other hand, don't set unsustainable goals either. I have heard clients/patients tell me they "are going to work out everyday for an hour!" And then when they miss a day, they feel terrible. Please don't set your self up for failure. Set small and realistic goals for yourself to start with.

The type of exercise you choose should be realistic as well. Don't jump into running if you haven't been walking. But I do want to encourage you to do cardiovascular training, or aerobic work such as walking, biking, jogging, perhaps an aerobic video at home or even better a class at your local gym. In addition, I strongly encourage all of you to include some resistance training. This is where you methodically work the major muscle groups of the body with some type of resistance. It might be using your own body weight, or you might like to obtain some light weight dumbbells. Elastic exercise bands can work too.

Why do I encourage the resistance training? There are many reasons. Numerous studies have shown benefits to resistance training including:
  • Increased bone density
  • Increased muscle mass - I'm not talking big bulky muscles, I'm talking small changes that result in a higher metabolism - that means you burn more calories at rest with more muscle. Now who can't appreciate eating a few extra calories every day?
  • Higher resting metabolism - this can lead to greater weight loss if that is your goal
  • Increased muscle tone - none of us want saggy arms!
  • Increased strength
  • Increased flexibility - as we work our muscles, we are also working the ligaments and tendons supporting our joints, and they remain more flexible with use (use it or lose it)
  • Other health benefits - studies have shown improvement in blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar control, and cardiovascular improvements with strength training
Alright, so how to do resistance training if you don't belong to a gym or have a home gym? If you can invest in the following equipment, I can take you through an entire full body resistance training routine:
  1. a large exercise ball
  2. two sets of light weight dumbbells (5# and 10#)
For a number of years I was a fitness instructor, working from a local gym where I lived on the Outer Banks. Unfortunately, in 2003 hurricane Isabelle destroyed the building where the gym was located. In order to continue training with my clients, I went to their homes, and the above was the primary equipment we used. And I can tell you, we saw great results as indicated by a lower resting heart rate, weight loss, loss of inches around the waist and hips, and increased muscle strength.

In my next post, I will take you through some of the resistance exercises you can do with an exercise ball and dumbbells. I will talk about the different muscle groups we will be working, which ones to start with, proper form and technique, and common mistakes to avoid.

Hope this gets you moving!
M

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