Starting an Exercise Program

We would probably all agree that physical activity has many benefits to a person's health.  Studies have shown benefits in reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease, lowering anxiety, reducing cancer in men, cutting the risk of breast cancer, decreasing depression, improving symptoms in Fibromyalgia, controlling diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and hypertension, helping to prevent and reduce impotence and increasing longevity.  Exercise also improves self-awareness and enhances spiritual growth.

So why isn't everyone exercising?  The number of excuses for not exercising probably equals or surpasses the number of benefits from exercise!  The main excuse is "I don't have enough time."

How do you add exercise to an already over-booked day?
Along with common suggestions such as taking the stairs whenever you can, and parking farther away from the door, here are some other tips.

• Set an alarm to go off every hour to remind you to stand up and move around.  Even if you just swing your arms or take a deep breath, you'll feel more alert.
• Use the restroom on another floor and take the stairs to get there.
• Use a pedometer and keep track of how many steps you take.  Aim for 6,000 to 10,000 steps a day.
• Leave something important in your car (lunch, briefcase, etc.) so you have to run out to get it.  Take the stairs if possible.
• Deliver documents or messages to coworkers in person rather than by email. 
• Go the mall for lunch and park as far away from the food court as you can. Don't forget to buy something healthy.
• Get a headset for your phone so you can move around while you talk.
• Sit on an exercise ball instead of a chair.  This will strengthen your abs and back and you'll work on your posture without even trying.

How much exercise is enough?
Traditional recommendations said that you must exercise continuously for at least 30 minutes at least three times a week for health benefits.  More recent studies have demonstrated that short intervals of activity of at least 10 minutes each, several times a day, can be just as effective.

Try to accumulate 30 minutes or more a day of moderately strenuous activities (such as walking, cycling, housework or gardening, vocational activities, sports / recreation and structured exercise) on most days of the week.

If you want to significantly increase your aerobic conditioning and / or strength, consider aerobic exercise such as brisk walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming or dancing).

Be creative.  Any movement is better than none - and it all adds up.  Adding short exercise sessions throughout the day will help in many ways with relieving stress, improving your concentration, mood and productivity while burning calories.

Nicholas Martino, Psy.D., is a licensed psychologist at Life Management Associates.