Go out and get fit

We see it every day in the television and magazine advertisements that bombard us -- "Exercise! You should be exercising!" -- and it's not a bad idea in itself. The problem comes in the message that most often is attached:\n"Exercise! You should be exercising…so that you look better!"\nWell, what would happen if we didn't listen to that message but rather focused our efforts, both mental and physical, on a different one? The healthcare and fitness industry learned a long time ago that regular exercise could improve our health and fitness. The benefits include not only a decreased risk of anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, diabetes and fatigue, but also an improved cholesterol level and an enhanced sense of well-being. \nBut how much of what is enough? In 1998 the American College of Sports Medicine published guidelines for exercise to help improve cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness. They are as follows:\nHow often? Three to five times per week. It is easy to fall into the all or none mentality. "If I didn't go every day, there is no point in going at all" is what we often tell ourselves. As it turns out, as little as three times per week has a definite health-improving effect.\nHow long? Twenty to 60 minutes total of either continuous activity or 10-minute individual bouts added up throughout the day. This is where many of us get hung up. "I don't have time to exercise" is a comment I hear often. Certainly, with our busy lifestyles, we have many demands on our time. The unfortunate news is that exercise is one more demand. It requires us to make a change and use some of that precious time. The good news is that we can divide it up throughout the day, if necessary, and that as little as 20 minutes total has definite benefit. Consider it an investment!\nHow intense? This is a little more difficult to generalize. Assuming you are otherwise healthy, the intensity should be high enough that it feels different from the rest of your routine daily activities. Your breathing effort should be noticeably different but not labored. You should be able to talk in a conversational manner but maybe not in full sentences.\nWhat activity? Whatever you want. Briskly walk across campus or take a class at the SRSC. As long as it gets your heart pumping and your lungs working, the greater the variety the better.\n To round out your fitness plan, you should include resistance training and flexibility exercise two to three times per week. Ideally that would include weight training. However, you can choose forms of exercise like cycling and swimming that can also help build strength. By including stretching as part of your program, you can help maintain joint range of motion and reduce the chance of injury.\nSo, what would happen if we ignored that constant message that tells us we should exercise in order to look better rather than to improve our health? What would happen is that we would feel better, and that is what can last a lifetime. Go it alone or grab a friend; take an exercise class or hire a personal trainer. \nIf you are interested in getting more information or having a fitness assessment and consultation, contact Health and Wellness Education at the IU Health Center, 855-7338.