Make Exercise Part of Your Life

By Barbara A. Brehm, Ed. D.

We need to exercise three to five times a week for optimal health benefits. People with the best consistency records are those who have found ways to make physical activity a way of life, rather than something they must do in addition to daily life. They have developed a high-energy lifestyle that incorporates physical activity whenever possible. Here are seven suggestions for increasing the activity level of your lifestyle.

Make a commitment

Lifelong health and fitness require a sustained, lifelong commitment to regular exercise. Without this commitment, other important priorities consume our time. It Is too easy to put our exercise programs on hold when something else comes up. Sometimes this is inevitable, but when you find yourself putting your program on hold for months (until spring) or even years (until the kids are in school), then you are waiting too long. If not now, when? Will you really be less busy next year? A commitment to regular physical activity is a commitment to yourself and those you care about, a commitment to do all you can to maximize your potential for high-level wellness.

Make it convenient

It's much easier to stick to a program that is convenient. You know yourself best. Will you really go out to that evening class, or would you be better off doing something right after work? Look for exercise opportunities on your feet. Walk or bicycle your errands rather than driving, whenever possible. If you can't walk all of the way to work, park within a reasonable walking distance and walk the rest of the way. Stairs are a perfect fitness opportunity. Climbing two or three flights several times a day will contribute to your cardiovascular endurance. Lunch hour provides a relatively convenient exercise time for many people.

Many work sites offer exercise classes or walking clubs. If nothing is available where you work, consider starting something. Someone at your fitness center might give you some advice. Walking programs can be offered at a very low cost, and can be a great way to add exercise to your day and energy to your afternoon (employers usually like that idea).

Make it fun

Despite puritanical suspicions, exercise can be good for you and fun, too. In fact, having fun Is healthy. Shop around for the kind of activities you enjoy most. If you really have difficulty enjoying exercise, you can at least enjoy what it's doing for you.

Make it yours

Talk to your fitness instructor about your fitness goals, and be sure you are performing the kinds of activities that are most beneficial for you. Having faith in the long-term benefits of your exercise program makes it easier to stick with it.

Challenge yourself

Set a challenging goal, such as walking so many miles in 10 weeks. Chart your progress and give yourself a reward (new workout clothes?) when you reach your goal. Make your challenge something that you can realistically accomplish in three or four months. Frustration is self-defeating and is more likely to contribute to an exercise program's failure than its success. That's why weight loss is not always a good goal. Weight loss may occur more easily as a byproduct of physical activity and a healthful diet, rather than as a focus.

Use exercise to accomplish two things at once

Use physical activity to accomplish other goals and objectives. Let's say you want to spend more time with your family. Can you all go out for a walk? Let the kids ride bikes while you jog? Walk with the baby in the park, or push the young ones in a stroller? Some children will enjoy aerobics videos with their parents. Home exercise equipment allows you to be part of the family while you work out.

People combine physical activity with travel (fitness vacations, cycling trips, hikes, etc.), informal business meetings (walking or jogging with a colleague), staying in touch with friends, solving problems, watching or listening to the news, learning a language (tapes and videos) and recreation. Mowing the lawn, gardening and other housekeeping chores may be opportunities for caloric expenditure. Rewarding volunteer work can involve exercise: How about starting a walking dub for your local senior center? Coaching a team at your town's elementary school?

Keep trying

Most people neglect their long-term health and fitness activities from time to time. If you miss a week or two, congratulate yourself for being flexible. It's the long-run dedication that is most important. Get back into your program as soon as possible, and have fun!