Is Exercise a Dirty Word? by Pat Brill

Copyright (c) 2008 Pat Brill
We all know that exercising is an important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Yet...do we do it? What if you could give yourself permission to start small in your exercising efforts...and still feel good about yourself?

Exercise is essentially movement using various muscle groups. By this definition, almost any sort of activity can be considered exercise. The more your muscles and body work to keep going, the stronger they become.

There are many benefits to exercising, such as increased energy, weight loss, and even reducing the risk diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease.

Before you begin any new exercise regimen, it is very important that you consult your doctor, start out slowly and increase your regimen in simple steps.

Start Exercising Slowly

Leading a healthy lifestyle means eating right, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly. What do you do if exercise is that one thing that you can't bring yourself to follow through with on a regular basis? We lead busy lives and can always find a reason or two not to exercise. What if you allow yourself to start slowly? Think about these easy steps:

-Take an extra flight of stairs instead of the elevator.

-Instead of priding yourself in finding the closest parking spot, cheer yourself when you park a little further away and walk to your destination.

-Walk in place or do some stretching in front of the TV during commercials.

-Every hour or two, stop work and do some stretching.

-Reduce emails and phone calls and take a walk to speak with a co-worker.

-Walk around the block after lunch - this simple act will make a difference in your level of energy throughout the afternoon.

-Turn cleaning the house into an exercise experience.

-...and create your own list of 'muscle movements' throughout the day...just keep it simple.

Different Types of Exercising

If you are ready to start a formal fitness program in your life, find an activity that you enjoy doing. Don't choose an exercise program because everyone else in doing it. If you hate lifting weights or walking on the treadmill, find something that you love to do that gets you up and moving. You'll be far more successful if you like the activity.

There are different types of exercise including running, biking, aerobic classes, yoga, and walking. The best strategy for incorporating beneficial exercise into your lifestyle is to do a variety of exercises. For instance, a good exercise regimen will include both cardio (biking, swimming, running) with weight training.

How about Pilates? This form of exercising is low impact and gentle on the body. Pilates often focuses on the "core" muscles that are around your midsection. Pilates aims to tone and strengthen the body's muscles.

Another option to get you moving is to join a sports team. There are many types of sports that you can choose to play depending on your interests: basketball, soccer, volleyball, bowling, or baseball.

Group exercises are another choice that you can make when it comes to getting in your weekly quota of physical fitness. Some popular choices of group exercises include belly dancing, kickboxing, hip-hop dance, and all levels of step classes. When you exercise with a group of people you're often more motivated to keep going since being part of a group with the similar goal of getting in shape is a powerful incentive.

There are specific Chinese forms of exercise that you may want to explore:

-T'ai Chi. This form of Chinese exercise uses movement to achieve peace and harmony in your mind and body. -Yoga. Yoga uses certain body postures to reduce stress, promote relaxation, and relieve the physical symptoms of ill health.

-Martial arts. Use a variety of marital arts, such as Kung Fu, to incorporate exercise into your daily routine.

-Qi Gong. This form of Chinese activity combines breathing exercises and mental exercises to prevent as well as treat health problems and disease.

Final Thoughts

One mistake that many people make when they're deciding to get into shape is to tackle the entire concept of "fitness" at one time. Incorporating fitness into your life takes time and won't happen overnight. Your body, mind, and spirit need time to adjust to the many changes that will be happening as you start to add exercise to your daily routine. This is why fitness in small steps is so important and will ensure that you're less likely to quit when you become overwhelmed with the changes in your life.

Exercise is essential if you're going to lead and maintain a healthy life. Select your favorite form of exercise and stick with it so you can enjoy the benefits of a healthy body and mind.