Exercise Tips

[Adam in CO]

It's Your Right to Exercise

Americans young and old should incorporate regular physical activity into their everyday lives. This does not necessarily mean joining an expensive gym or committing to a rigorous exercise or training routine. It is sufficient to choose activities that fit into your daily routine that speed your heart rate and breathing, or increase your strength and flexibility. Examples include walking to work, gardening, taking extra stairs, or mowing the lawn with a push mower. Besides building strength and aerobic fitness, regular exercise relieves stress, provides motivation, promotes relaxation, and facilitates sleep. Such activity reduces the risk of dying of coronary heart disease and decreases the risk for colon cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
The Body's Response to Exercise

The human body generally responds well to physical exercise and substantial improvements may be anticipated in heart and lung function, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility and one's ability to respond to stimuli.
Some of the more noticeable changes from exercise may include:

• Increased bone strength.
• Increased physical work capacity.
• Increased joint range of motion or flexibility.
• Improved sense of well being.
• Increased muscular strength.
• Improved glucose regulation (very favorable for diabetics).
• Decreased blood pressure.
• Improved sleep patterns and levels of anxiety.

Indeed, exercise can have a profound effect upon older persons - with the most "unfit" usually experiencing the greatest benefits! Practical Advice

There are certain things you should be aware of before beginning any program of physical activity. General advice includes the following:

• Contact should be made with your doctor prior to commencing a program. A brief medical check-up will ensure that it is safe for you to proceed with an exercise program.
• Set short term goals rather than long term aims.
• Take account of existing conditions and choose appropriate activities.
• Ease steadily into an exercise program by beginning with low intensity, low frequency activities and proceed slowly.
• Set aside a specific time of the day to do your exercise.
• Consult your doctor if any of the following occur: nausea, dizziness, breathlessness, tightness in the chest or persistent muscle soreness.
• Avoid any exercise that hurts. Movements should be gentle and comfortable.

Try Sneaking Exercise into Your Day

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Go for a walk during your coffee break or lunch.
• Walk all or part of the way to work.
• Do housework at a fast pace.
• Rake leaves or do other yard work.
• Walk, cycle, jog, skate, etc., to work, school, the store, or place of worship.
• Park the car farther away from your destination.
• Get on or off the bus several blocks away.
• Perform gardening or home repair activities.
• Avoid labor-saving devices - turn off the self-propel option on your lawn mower or vacuum cleaner.
• Exercise while watching TV.
• Take the dog for a nice, long walk.
• Make a Saturday morning walk a group habit.
• Walk while doing errands.

How do I stick with it?

Here are some tips that will help you start and stick with an exercise program:
Choose something you like to do. Make sure it suits you physically, too. For instance, swimming is easier on arthritic joints.
Get a partner. Exercising with someone else can make it more fun.
Vary your routine. You may be less likely to get bored or injured if you change your routine. Walk one day. Bicycle the next. Consider activities like dancing and racquet sports, and even chores like chopping wood.
Choose a comfortable time of day. Don't work out too soon after eating or when it's too hot or cold outside. Wait until later in the day if you're too stiff in the morning.
Don't get discouraged. It can take weeks or months before you notice some of the changes from exercise.
Make exercise fun. Read, listen to music or watch TV while riding a stationary bicycle, for example. Find fun things to do, like taking a walk through the zoo. Go dancing. Learn how to play tennis.
Forget "no pain, no gain." While a little soreness is normal after you first start exercising, pain isn't. Stop if you hurt.
The Big Question...

What is the best exercise?
The best exercise is the one that you will do. Walking is considered one of the best choices because it's easy, safe and cheap. Brisk walking can burn as many calories as running, but is less likely than running or jogging to cause injuries. And it doesn't require any training or special equipment, except for good shoes. Walking is an aerobic and weight-bearing exercise, so it is good for your heart and helps prevent osteoporosis

[f5fstop]

Another form of exercise:
Have a 110 lb Malamute puppy drag your a*s down the road like you are a sled

[GLBLWARMR]

An obese fellow was reading the paper one day lamenting the fact that his doctor has ordered him to lose 75 pounds. Next thing he sees is an advertisement for a "guaranteed" weight loss program. "Guaranteed like heck, "he thinks to himself. "But let's see what they think they can do."

He calls them on the phone and subscribes to the 3-day, 10 lbs. weight loss program. The next day there comes a knock at his door, and when he answers, there stands before him a voluptuous, athletic 19 year old babe dressed in nothing but a pair of Nike's and a sign hanging around her neck. She introduces herself as a representative of the weight loss company. The sign reads, "If you can catch me, you can have me."

Well, without a second thought he takes off after her. A few miles later, huffing and puffing, he finally catches her and has his way with her. After they are through he kisses the girl one last time and thinks to himself with a nod, "I like the way this company does business."

For the next two days, the same girl shows up and the same thing happens each time. On the fourth day, he weighs himself and, sure enough, he has lost 10 pounds. Deciding that he likes his somewhat more slender physique, not to mention the method of "treatment", he calls the company back and subscribes to their 5-day, 20 lbs. weight loss program. He thinks that losing 20 pounds in only 5 days seems like a lot, but he is intrigued by what their "workout" schedule might be like this time.

As expected, the next day there comes a knock at his door. When he answers it there stands a 22 year old knockout dressed in nothing but a pair of Reebok's and a sign hanging around her neck. She is simply stunning, the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. She introduces herself as a representative of the weight loss company. The sign reads, "If you can catch me, you can have me."

He's out the door like a shot!

This gal is in excellent shape and it takes a while to catch her. But when he does, it is worth every cramp and wheeze. She is wonderful, the best he has ever had. He is really looking forward to the next four days.

For the next four days, the same girl shows up and the same thing happens each time, much to his delight. On the sixth day, he weighs himself and, unbelievably, he has lost another 20 pounds. "I love this company," he thinks to himself, "I never knew losing weight could be so easy and so much fun."

Feeling much better about himself, he decides to go for broke and subscribe to the company's 7-day, 50 pound weight loss program. "Are you sure, sir?" asks the representative on the phone. "This is our most rigorous program."

"Absolutely," says he, "I love your program. Haven't felt this good in years!"

The next day there comes a knock at his door and he enthusiastically answers it. There stands before him a 250 pound perfect specimen of a man dressed in nothing but racing spikes and a sign around his neck. He introduces himself as a representative of the weight loss company.

The sign reads, "If I can catch you, I can have you."

[ROX]