Exercise is Essential to Natural Health

Exercise means something different to everyone but it doesn't have to be a difficult thing and can actually be fun. For our purposes here it is defined in terms of any regular activity that is performed to improve the health and well-being of an indivdual.

Let's face it-Newton nailed it when he observed that bodies in motion tend to stay in motion and bodies at rest...well, you know how it goes.

It can be really hard to establish an exercise program even though we all know it is good for us. It doesn't have to be that hard. Opportunities exist all around us for regular activity.

To make it easier to start -and stick with -(which is really the most important part anyway) an exercise program we must first be ready to commit to a healthier lifestyle. Click here for simple tips on a healthy lifestyle. This does not mean we have to commit to running the Boston Marathon by the end of the next 3 months. I mentioned earlier that opportunities for exercise exist all around us every single day in the course of our regular lives, we simply need to open our eyes and take advantage of them.

Here are some things to consider when beginning or changing your exercise program.

1. See your family physician for a physical to determine what level of activity you can safely perform.

2. Set realistic fitness goals for yourself.

This one is really important and many times where we get lost. Sometimes we forget that we are in charge of our own exercise plan and ultimately our goals for health and fitness. To keep a realistic plan in place you should reconsider your fitness goals regularly. This is something that will most likely change from time to time. The most important thing to remember is that if you are starting from scratch you will want to set small, challenging yet achieveable, goals for yourself. Think baby steps. Rome wasn't built in a day.

***TIP***Write down goals you wish to acheive and post them somewhere visible like your refrigerator or bathroom mirror. This will keep your fitness goals in front of you. Also be sure to include steps for how you plan to reach each goal and and expected target date for resolution. For example if you wish to be able to touch your toes, decide how long it should take and what you will do to reach it (example-If I stretch 5 minutes before I go to bed every night I should be able touch my toes by xx/xx/xxxx date)

Ulitmately a goal needs to be realistic, challenging, yet attainable, and measureable. You won't know you have reached your goal if you haven't defined a way to measure your progress.

3. Schedule time for exercise.

It can be as little as 10 minutes or much longer if you are really hard core. If you use Outlook for tracking your schedule during the day block time off on your calendar for a short walk, stretching , or organized activities such as classes or appointments with personal trainers.

***NOTE***Just because you miss either a little, or maybe a lot of your scheduled time each day is a new day with new opportunities. Don't give up just because your schedule gets hectic for awhile. 4. Consider what kinds of activity you already perform and increase it.

This is the stuff that you take for granted each day. Stuff like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking a little farther out and walking, taking the time to get up and stretch during your workday. Easy stuff, but for some reason we have a hard time doing it. You don't have to go to the gym to exercise. Keep it fun and natural.

5. Track your progress

This is huge. If you don't track what you are doing and whether you are improving you may become bored and be at risk for stopping your program. Maybe you wanted to run a ten minute mile. How will you know if you have reached that goal unless you are timing your runs and tracking your results? Seeing your improvement on paper can really be helpful on the days when you want to quit because you see where you were and where you are now. It's validation of your effort, which is very important and leads me to the next point.

6. DON'T BEAT YOURSELF UP!!!

Give yourself a break already. Just know that some days are going to be better than others but it is easier to become your own worst enemy than you may realize. Negative self-talk can ruin the best plans you make. Self-sabbotage can sneak up on you so it is important to speak to yourself positively about your goals and pay careful attention to negative thinking. You will learn to recognize it very quickly and you may even be surprised at how often you tell yourself something negative during the course of each day. Consider keeping a log of negative thoughts for a few days and then review it for patterns and common themes. Come up with something positive to replace each negative theme. You will feel a lot better. Once you establish a habit of regular exercise of whatever level you feel comfortable with it will be easier to stick to. Think lifestyle, not seasonal. Fitness is not something you get to and say Great! I've reached my fitness goal, now I can do nothing.

Remember...bodies in motion tend to stay in motion. This is especially true for humans. Fitness and health are dynamic concepts that are always changing. Specific fitness goals can be reached and should be reevaluated periodically to be sure they still meet your needs.

Return to home page

contact us for more information