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According to the most
recent government survey conducted by the National Academy of
Sciences' Institute of Medicine, Americans need to exercise at
least an hour a day. This nearly doubles the previous recommendation.The
study was published in a 1,000-page report that came out just
a couple weeks ago.
For many people, this
will mean a significant change in lifestyle in order to accommodate
the additional exercise. Rather than focus on the various exercises
you could do, or the little changes you can make in order to fit
this seemingly undoable amount into your day, I'm going to talk
to you about changing your way of thinking about exercise.
Exercise should be thought
of as a way of life, or a lifestyle. It shouldn't be approached
as something that you are going to do for a given period of time
and then stop once you've reached your destination. It is something
that is ongoing, changing, and growing. Once exercise becomes
stagnant, you will stop doing it. It is important to make it fun.
That may mean going to a gym for some, or joining a running club
for others. Some people enjoy exercise more if they are doing
it with a friend or loved one, and some people prefer to do it
alone. I guess what I am suggesting is to first dedicate some
thought to it and identify your strengths and weaknesses pertaining
to exercise. Analyze who you are and what aspects will intrigue
you to exercise on a regular basis.
Some of the more unconventional
methods include in-line skate clubs, dog walking groups, the Sierra
Club, martial arts studios, and bike clubs to name a few. With
such diversity available now, there is no reason why everyone
can't find at least one thing that is both healthy as well as
interesting.
Like anything worth doing,
you should first start with a plan and then progress from there.
I, myself, have a certain core group of activities I plan to always
do, and that so far they have continued to stimulate me because
they can be so different each time. Bodybuilding and martial arts
are two of them, but I also enjoy other activities that are either
more seasonal like skiing, snowboarding, and surfing (the latter
I am just learning), in addition to some sports that are just
too expensive for me to do frequently, like scuba diving.
Freedom has always played
an important role in my life, and although I am very disciplined
during the week as far as bodybuilding, cardiovascular conditioning,
and martial arts, I allow myself much more freedom on weekends
because I have more time then. I really enjoy hiking and mountain
biking on Saturdays or Sundays. Weekends also allow time for more
of a commute to and from a preferred destination. One of my favorite
things to do is get my friends together on a Sunday morning and
go hiking up in the Laguna Mountains with my dog, followed by
brunch. It's the perfect combination-I get to spend quality time
with my friends, and both myself as well as my dog gets a workout
in the process. That just can't be beat!
So give exercise a fair
shake before you jump to the conclusion that the new standard
can't be done. From my own experience, I can honestly say that
I love fitness and the feeling it gives me. It is definitely a
lifestyle, and I can't imagine my life without it!
Melissa Allen is a certified
personal trainer, Blackbelt & fitness consultant, as well
as the owner of Optimum Condition— personal fitness training
and kickboxing instruction. She is a regular columnist with various
newspapers and welcomes input from her readers. Please contact
her with any questions or comments that you may have by calling
(619) 252-4993, email her at Opticondit@aol.com, or visit her
website at www.optimumcondition.com. |
