Staying Fit with Exercise

To some, just the word exercise brings groans and negative thoughts. To others, unless you are at a sports club, exhausted and sweating, you haven’t exercised. More is better, right?  Wrong. Exercise has gotten a bad wrap through years of misunderstanding what is - and isn’t - exercise.

There actually was a time when exercise was not a structured program: a time when push buttons and batteries were not yet a part of the general community. Everything had to be done by hand - and during an average day - every muscle group was put into action. We got all the exercise we needed - naturally.

The Push Button Generation

Today, with so many conveniences at our fingertips, an exercise program is not just desired, but critical to good health. Our lives are - for the most part - driven by battery, electricity or fuel. We have push buttons for nearly everything and - for some of us, the big exercise of the day is getting up to change the television channel by hand because the batteries wore out of the remote control.

Contrary to what you may have been taught, you don’t have to get sweaty in order to exercise and you don’t have to exercise for long periods of time in order to see results. You don’t have to go to a sports club. Check with your doctor for the OK, then put on your tennis shoes and take a brisk 20 minute walk.

Exercise for Fitness

I have a treadmill I purchased a few years ago and - of all the exercise equipment I have accumulated over the years, my treadmill is the only one that gets used nearly every day. On a side note, for those who walk on a treadmill - have you noticed that you use different muscle groups when you walk outside - compared to the treadmill? I have high praise for a treadmill, but I get a better workout walking outside because of the unevenness of the streets and paths I walk on.

When I started walking on my treadmill, I had problems with one of my knees. My treadmill had to be the kind that was at a zero incline. I could only walk at .5 miles an hour for 5 minutes - and barely that - causing quite a bit of discomfort. But, I kept at it and very slowly increased my speed and the length of time I walked. At the end of a year I was walking at a brisk 3.2 mph for 30 minutes without problems.

The benefits of exercise will surprise you - even from the very first day. If you experience a few aches and pains - stick with it. Slow down for a few days and, before you know it, you will be up to speed and feeling great. Do something nice for yourself and begin today to take the first steps toward a healthier you. No one else will do it for you!