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Exercise Tips
Don't 'fit in' exercise, schedule it first!
Have you been thinking of increasing your physical activity? Do you wish
exercise didn't seem like work? Just what is keeping you from taking those
first steps into a healthier lifestyle?
The benefits of increasing our heart rate for at least 30 minutes, three
times a week, have been touted for decades. If we engage in aerobic
activity, we might feel better physically (in the long run), we could
decrease our risk of chronic diseases including some cancers and heart
disease, and we may lose weight.
If these rewards have not been enough in the past, what will make them
enticing today? Take a moment to look at these additional positive side
effects of being active.
In the November/December 2000 issue of American College of Sports Medicine
Health and Fitness Journal, Barbara A. Brehm, Ed.D., shares some
psychological benefits relating to physical activity:
Anxiety may be reduced. Exercise has been linked to reducing
symptoms of depression. An overall more positive attitude may be
experienced. Negative feelings related to stress may diminish.
Self-esteem may improve.
Emotional health is just as important as physical health. As we see our
society aging, it is important to maintain good health so that we enjoy
those extended years of life. As you think about the barriers to exercise
in your life, try and knock them down as you focus on the benefits.
Our society is busy and finding 30 more minutes a day can be impossible.
Rather than squeezing in the extra 30 minutes, why not put the exercise on
our calendars first? For the sake of building healthful habits in the
lives of our children and enhancing our own physical and psychological
health, prioritizing our tasks with exercise at a higher spot than other
less healthful activities seems like a goal worth striving towards.
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