*Exercise

Exercise

Exercise is one of the keys to losing weight and maintaining an attractive and healthy body. A person doesn't have to be as strong or exercise as rigorously as an Olympian to lose weight and tone the body. But, a person does need the determination of an Olympian in adhering to an exercise program in order to lose weight and maintain a healthy physical profile.

In designing an exercise program, one should consider the following:

What type of activities do I enjoy, and are compatible with my environment?
What type of activities are conducive to my body type?
How much activity do I need?

Activities that are Fun!

Find activities that you enjoy doing, that you can do regularly without great expenditure of time or money. Think about whether or not you enjoy doing things alone or with others, how much preparation time and activity time you can allow, what activities you already do well and enjoy. Think about what activities you can enjoy that are close to your home or work. Here are some examples:

	Running, Walking, Jogging, Hiking, Exploring, Snowshoing, Skiing, Rock Climbing, Dancing, Catch (with a child or your dog)
	Rollerblading, Ice Skating, Mt./Road Biking, Skateboarding, Horseback Riding, Motorcycle Racing
	Basketball, Soccer, Football, Baseball, Softball, Horseshoes, Shuffleboard, Polo, Lacrosse, Ice/Field Hockey
	Canoing, Kayaking, Rowing, Sailing
	Swimming, Water Polo, Scuba, Snorkeling, Surfing, Beach Combing
	Martial Arts, Fencing, Boxing, Wrestling, Aerobics, Weight Training
	Make up your own sport. (e.g. throw a ball into the air and try to catch it.)

Activities that are Good for my Body

Determine the limitations of your body and mind and engage in activites that are compatible. If you have joint problems you will probably want to avoid impact sports. If you can't swim, avoid water sports. If you are 90 years old or have a heart problem, you will probably want to avoid most sports altogether, and stick to walking (pack a cane and a cell phone in case of emergencies). And if you can't walk, talk (we need to exercise ours minds too). In other words use common sense in deciding what you will do for exercise.

Aerobic Exercise. Aerobic exercise consists of even paced exercise that works many parts of the body, and tends to burn energy stored as fat. Aerobic exercise is very healthy, and ideal for people who want to lose weight. We can discuss the individual goals for you when we discuss this in my office.

Anaerobic Exercise. Anaerobic exercise consists of exercise that concentrates on individual muscles. This is often called resistance training too. Anaerobic exercise is ideal for people who want to build muscle. It also sets up positive metabolic pathways that are different than aerobic exercising. We can discuss your individual needs and ways to do this when we talk.

How much Exercise do I Need?

Don't forget to stretch before you exercise. This will prevent injuries from both exercising and activities of daily living.

If you've never exercised before, or haven't exercised in a long time, you should start with very little activity, and build up over the course of several weeks. Otherwise, you will be very sore the day following your first workout. A good rule of thumb is to exercise two to three times per week. When your body has strengthened, you may be able to exercise every day. However, it is not necessary to exercise every day to maintain and promote good health and to lose weight.

Consult books on health and exercise to determine how many calories you expend with your workout. Then use this information to decide how many calories you should supplement your diet, to compensate for you caloric requirements.

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