Here we go again, another year begins and more New Year's Resolutions. Though we'll have some things to offer for giving up some of those bad habits, let's see about starting a good one (and maybe one you've meant to start every year). How about an exercise program?
For those of you who love exercise, and do it all the time, you can skip this article...you don't need it (and congratulations!). For those of you who haven't yet figured out a way to get started, now's the time. Let's see if we can make it a bit easier for you.
You've heard this before, but it bears repeating (big time): to be successful at an exercise routine you have to like what you're doing. For those of you who don't like much of any exercise we have a problem, and you're the ones we're trying to reach. Exercise just has so many benefits that we're willing to have a go at those who have the hardest time doing it. Another complication is that doing exercise minimally or irregularly offers minimal benefit, so we also want to make this un-fun (for you) activity a habitual activity (like three times/week or more).
Given that you have to do it the hard way (i.e., you don't naturally enjoy it), let's throw an idea at you for starting into exercise without completely altering your lifestyle. Specifically, we want some exercise that can be done regularly without requiring additional time from your schedule.
It can be done.
First of all, start the day with just a little warm-up. You can do this in seconds, and it may even be easier than getting out of bed in the morning. The deal is, before you get out of bed (which nobody wants to do anyway), throw your pillow over your feet (or slide down a bit and catch your feet in the covers tucked in at the foot of the bed). Then, do a few sit-ups. You don't even have to open your eyes - just do a few sit-ups, maybe even just 10, though 20 would be great. Usually, once 20 repetitions (reps) are out of the way, getting out of bed is just a bit easier anyway, so it's a "starter" that's not even as hard as climbing out of bed in the first place.
The goal is to increase the number of sit-ups over the next few days, but stop as soon as it gets tough. After a few days you'll find that adding five to yesterday's total isn't tough at all. Most people can get to 50 in a remarkably short time and without feeling like they've done a whole lot of work (but ask your doc what's allowable for you). Whatever the number is, do it basically every day, taking no more than one day off per week. Most people find that when they force themselves that far (and it just ain't that far), they start to feel more alert (if not more ambitious) once they get up.
Okay, now how are we going to generate the time for exercise without making extra time for it? My attempt is to use "idle" time, which usually translates to time spent watching the TV or listening to music (or educational CD's or whatever). This is time that can be used profitably to get into shape (and it just might be a tiny bit fun!). For about $50-$100 (at most, maybe cheaper on e-Bay) you can pick up a small, circular "mini-trampoline." Some come with springs and some with bungee cords. The cords are quieter and the springs usually have more bounce. Either way, they're a lot more fun than people realize and almost anyone can rebound on one. Given your doc's blessing, bounce up and down easily during a favorite show (or even just during the commercials at first).
There are all sorts of variations of bouncing (and there are even books on "rebounding"). The instant you feel tired ease off! Don't quit, just back off and rock up and down on the balls of your feet without even leaving the bouncing surface. The up-and-down motion uses gravity to generate health benefits, and it does it with an ultra low-impact form of exercise.
If you'll just try to hang in there for the length of one 30-minute show, three nights per week for about two weeks you'll be amazed at how much longer you can bounce before backing off to the rocking mode. You'll also be amazed at how fast you start to feel tighter and in better shape, without ever going to a gym, out in public, or even taking extra time for the effort.
Give it a shot. If even that's not for you, then try to find tasks that you must do and perform them at a faster pace, one that works up a little sweat. It can be vacuuming, mopping, sweeping, rapidly collecting the trash, stripping/making the beds, mowing the lawn, raking leaves, whatever. Get creative and just make sure you do it with enough effort that you work up a little sweat. With tasks that you do all the time you'll not only be exercising on a habitual basis, but you'll also be getting tasks completed in a fraction of the time you used to spend. That technique can actually give you more free time instead of less, and you end up in better shape while getting the chores done in record time!
Whatever exercise you start, start it with at least the minimum of nutritional supplements. A good multi-vitamin/mineral product, along with 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C twice/day assists the body in clearing out waste products more efficiently while helping with the production of collagen, the number one repair protein in the body (higher doses of vitamin C are very helpful here). For increased stamina, I add coenzyme Q-10 to the regimens of my athletes (and even more for the serious ones, such as l-carnitine). For those with an interest in "redistribution" of their measurements (burning fat and helping the build-up of muscle) I add CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), about one gram (1000 milligrams) twice/day. This and the carnitine can be most helpful, but they aren't particularly cheap. Mixing them with exercise, however, can be most impressive.
Remember, creating a pattern is the key. A lot of exercise once every two weeks is not the way to go about it. Just a little, every other day, can really show dividends in a very short time.For those of you who love exercise, and do it all the time, you can skip this article...you don't need it (and congratulations!). For those of you who haven't yet figured out a way to get started, now's the time. Let's see if we can make it a bit easier for you.
You've heard this before, but it bears repeating (big time): to be successful at an exercise routine you have to like what you're doing. For those of you who don't like much of any exercise we have a problem, and you're the ones we're trying to reach. Exercise just has so many benefits that we're willing to have a go at those who have the hardest time doing it. Another complication is that doing exercise minimally or irregularly offers minimal benefit, so we also want to make this un-fun (for you) activity a habitual activity (like three times/week or more).
Given that you have to do it the hard way (i.e., you don't naturally enjoy it), let's throw an idea at you for starting into exercise without completely altering your lifestyle. Specifically, we want some exercise that can be done regularly without requiring additional time from your schedule.
It can be done.
First of all, start the day with just a little warm-up. You can do this in seconds, and it may even be easier than getting out of bed in the morning. The deal is, before you get out of bed (which nobody wants to do anyway), throw your pillow over your feet (or slide down a bit and catch your feet in the covers tucked in at the foot of the bed). Then, do a few sit-ups. You don't even have to open your eyes - just do a few sit-ups, maybe even just 10, though 20 would be great. Usually, once 20 repetitions (reps) are out of the way, getting out of bed is just a bit easier anyway, so it's a "starter" that's not even as hard as climbing out of bed in the first place.
The goal is to increase the number of sit-ups over the next few days, but stop as soon as it gets tough. After a few days you'll find that adding five to yesterday's total isn't tough at all. Most people can get to 50 in a remarkably short time and without feeling like they've done a whole lot of work (but ask your doc what's allowable for you). Whatever the number is, do it basically every day, taking no more than one day off per week. Most people find that when they force themselves that far (and it just ain't that far), they start to feel more alert (if not more ambitious) once they get up.
Okay, now how are we going to generate the time for exercise without making extra time for it? My attempt is to use "idle" time, which usually translates to time spent watching the TV or listening to music (or educational CD's or whatever). This is time that can be used profitably to get into shape (and it just might be a tiny bit fun!). For about $50-$100 (at most, maybe cheaper on e-Bay) you can pick up a small, circular "mini-trampoline." Some come with springs and some with bungee cords. The cords are quieter and the springs usually have more bounce. Either way, they're a lot more fun than people realize and almost anyone can rebound on one. Given your doc's blessing, bounce up and down easily during a favorite show (or even just during the commercials at first).
There are all sorts of variations of bouncing (and there are even books on "rebounding"). The instant you feel tired ease off! Don't quit, just back off and rock up and down on the balls of your feet without even leaving the bouncing surface. The up-and-down motion uses gravity to generate health benefits, and it does it with an ultra low-impact form of exercise.
If you'll just try to hang in there for the length of one 30-minute show, three nights per week for about two weeks you'll be amazed at how much longer you can bounce before backing off to the rocking mode. You'll also be amazed at how fast you start to feel tighter and in better shape, without ever going to a gym, out in public, or even taking extra time for the effort.
Give it a shot. If even that's not for you, then try to find tasks that you must do and perform them at a faster pace, one that works up a little sweat. It can be vacuuming, mopping, sweeping, rapidly collecting the trash, stripping/making the beds, mowing the lawn, raking leaves, whatever. Get creative and just make sure you do it with enough effort that you work up a little sweat. With tasks that you do all the time you'll not only be exercising on a habitual basis, but you'll also be getting tasks completed in a fraction of the time you used to spend. That technique can actually give you more free time instead of less, and you end up in better shape while getting the chores done in record time!
Whatever exercise you start, start it with at least the minimum of nutritional supplements. A good multi-vitamin/mineral product, along with 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C twice/day assists the body in clearing out waste products more efficiently while helping with the production of collagen, the number one repair protein in the body (higher doses of vitamin C are very helpful here). For increased stamina, I add coenzyme Q-10 to the regimens of my athletes (and even more for the serious ones, such as l-carnitine). For those with an interest in "redistribution" of their measurements (burning fat and helping the build-up of muscle) I add CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), about one gram (1000 milligrams) twice/day. This and the carnitine can be most helpful, but they aren't particularly cheap. Mixing them with exercise, however, can be most impressive.
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