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So your doctor has checked your blood pressure and
cholesterol readings and says that you are healthy enough to start
an exercise program. Oh, and by the way, you need to start one. If you haven’t exercised in a long time, this recommendation is about as welcome as a
jury summons in your mailbox. We all know that exercise is important for good
health but with employment, commuting, kids and keeping up the house, who has the time to manage a good
fitness program? It can be done, but it won’t happen unless you buy
into the necessity of it. Here are some reasons to help you
convince yourself to get started:
1) Your
mind and your body need to be exercised on a regular basis to function properly. Remember going back to
school after a three month summer vacation? Those first few weeks
of lessons were hard to absorb because your mind had lost its fine edge by not being challenged much while on
vacation. Depending on your age and how long you have been out of school, it may be years since
you had a steady exercise routine.
But like your school lessons, exercise will get smoother and more
effective once you dust off the cobwebs.
2) You have the time to
exercise. Most fitness experts will tell you that thirty minutes of good exercise four times a
week will keep you healthy. It’s also a great stress reliever. Before you start
listing all the reasons why you can’t break away from your routine and exercise, think about what some people
do. I’ve seen new mothers jogging and pushing their babies in
strollers. People who need to check in by phone with family and friends do so while on a long
walk. Others get up 30 minutes earlier and ride a stationary bicycle. If you accept the need
to exercise, your creative mind will determine the time and method.
3) Exercise comes in many forms. For the fit and
social, team sports like soccer, softball and basketball can be fun. Health clubs offer
expert supervision on ways to use their gyms to get fit. If the above choices
require too much of a time commitment with practice and travel, a home gym might be the
answer. You can spend a lot of money or very little. Just choose something
that is good for you and that you want to keep doing.
4) Having a fit and healthy body is a huge
source of confidence. If you have ever been an
athlete, you probably have experienced the heightened sense of strength and energy that comes with
training. Day-to-day chores of lifting and walking are of little consequence when you are
fit. You may find yourself getting more things done every day and feeling more energetic
than ever before. The time invested in exercise can improve the quality of your
life.
5) Expect some
setbacks. There will be sore muscles and the occasional bad day. Be patient and keep
trying while you find the right routine.
Be aware of your limitations and work with them. The rewards should
greatly outweigh the losses
6) Finally, don’t judge your results based
upon standards that you see on television. Professional and
college athletes represent far less than 1% of the population. Chances are very
unlikely that most people will ever attain the kinds of performances that these people
have. Does that mean that the rest of us shouldn’t even try? What kind of life
would that be? You cannot control the physical and mental gifts that you were born
with. You can, however, set yourself apart by using whatever abilities you have to the
maximum degree. Think about this saying as you prepare yourself to start an exercise
program: I don’t
do things that other people can’t do.
I do things that other people should do, but won’t
do.
Del Vogel
July 16, 2008
for more information, visit www.healthandfitnessforyou.org
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