To help you start and maintain a fitness program in 2007 to reach your goals, exercise experts at Iowa State University offer the following tips:
• Educate yourself. "If one reads and understands that sedenary people have more than twice the risk of most debilitating and deadly chronic diseases and realizes that it is necessary for the activity to be strenuous or exhausting, it is possible that one might at least start to think about making a lifestyle change," said Panteleimon Ekkekakis, one of the professors.
• Seek advice and reassurance from authoritative sources. Most doctors don't counsel patients about physical activity, but when they do, their input is highly influential. Make sure you are in good health to exercise safely, but also ask about benefits that physical activity might bring, Ekkekakis said.
• Live in an area that provides opportunities for physical activity. Both actual and perceived convenience or ease of access to exercise or recreational areas is associated with more activity, Ekkekakis said.
• Shop around for the fitness program that fits you. Find the fitness facility that best fits your needs in terms of price, convenience and services, such as the latest exercise equipment, TVs, social interaction, hours, etc., said Warren Franke, a professor and director of Iowa State's Exercise Clinic.
• Get a health professional to help you list the benefits you expect and sacrifices you may have to make, such as time and energy. "Most people cannot think beyond weight loss as a benefit," Ekkekakis said. "The health professional will help you realize that there is much more to gain than to lose."
• Create long- and short-range goals. Realize it took a while for you to put that weight on, so it's going to take a while to lose it, too, Franke said.
"You need to keep your eyes on the prize, but you don't want to look too far ahead," he said.
• Don't set your standards based on others. "People lose sight of the fact that if your parents were overweight, you may have a strong disposition to be overweight," Ekkekakis said. "Have your own internal standards rather than basing them on the cover of a magazine."
• Ease into it - no pain is simply no pain. Exercise in the beginning is a challenge, so don't start with high-intensity activities like running or step aerobics, Ekkekakis said.
Remember that if you learn to associate physical activity with pain, displeasure or discomfort, it is unlikely that you will want to continue doing it. If a particular activity produces pain or discomfort, seek alternatives, such as non-weight-bearing activities like stationary cycling or swimming, he added.
• Surround yourself with positive role models. People who are constantly surrounded by images of sedentary or unhealthy living tend to emulate this lifestyle. Find an "exercise buddy" and educate your family and friends so they will support your lifestyle changes - even if they do not change theirs, Ekkekakis said.
• Beat boredom by cross-training. Recognize that you don't have to do one 30-minute session on the same machine. Maybe you can do three 10-minute activities on different machines for the same effect.
"Your heart really doesn't care," Franke said.
Nubella News, a division of Marketing Technology Solutions, Inc., offers content intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We encourage our readers to seek prompt medical care for health issues and consult their physicians before starting a new diet, fitness regimen, or medical treatment.
Following holiday indulgences, a popular New Year's resolution every year is to lose weight and get in shape. Yet many of us don't stick with our plans.
