Fitness Facts and Tips

Never before has it been more clearly understood just how beneficial exercise can be for you. Sometimes a little information is all you need to keep you motivated about sticking to your exercise routine. We hope you find this information helpful in achieving and maintaining your fitness objectives. For a detailed understanding of the newly updated food pyramid and assessment of your food intake and physical activity level, you can  go to http://www.mypyramid.gov/

Fitness Facts

The latest in medical research continues to confirm the health benefits of regular exercise (3-4 times a week). Did you know…

• Exercise clearly lowers your risk of heart disease by one half if you do it regularly and in moderation.
  
• Evidence shows, occasional strenuous activities performed when you're out of shape, to be risky.
  
• Regular exercise reduces risk of death from all causes including cardiovascular diseases and cancer by about 70%
  
• Exercise increases your heart's ability to pump blood, pumping more blood with less effort.
  
• Exercise increases levels of high density lipoprotein ("good") cholesterol and deceases low and very low-density lipoprotein ("bad") cholesterol levels as well as trigylcerides.
  
• Positive cholesterol changes can reduce the risk of coronary artery disease by as much as 30%.
  
• Regular exercise can prevent as well as reduce high blood pressure.
  
• Exercise can help prevent the development of non-insulin dependant diabetes. If you already suffer from the disease, exercise can help reduce the level of your blood sugar
• Exercise reduces fat and builds muscle and tones the body.

Fitness Tips

Here is a list of some of the most common reasons people fail to stick to their exercise program, along with some tips to help you keep focused.

Not enough time - Make fitness a priority and schedule time to exercise. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week. Everyone wastes at least one hour a day so blocking out 30 minutes to do something pleasurable and healthy for ourselves isn't unreasonable. Try thinking about fitness as something you deserve rather than something you do, and see it move up on your priority list!

Doing too much too soon - Set goals and keep a log to chart your progress. This will help you quantify your progress even if you don't notice physical changes right away. Starting slowly and building incrementally from week to week, according to your goals, will help avoid unnecessary injury and muscle strain. If you choose a sport like weight training or rock climbing, it's important to get certified instruction to get the most benefit and enjoyment while preventing injury.

Expecting immediate results - Be patient. It takes three to six months to see noticeable changes and to develop exercise as a habit. Once again, the goals you set and the log you keep will be key to keeping you motivated and on target.

Boredom or dissatisfaction with your fitness plan - Find an exercise program that complements your body type, your schedule, your interests and your goals. Make sure you really enjoy whatever exercise you do. If you've always hated bike riding or jogging, by all means - choose something else! Take up something that you've always wanted to do but never made the time for, like dancing or martial arts. Today's variety of exercise equipment make it easy to incorporate variety into your routine to help stave off boredom. TV viewing and music also add to the enjoyment when performing a repetitive activity.

Start off great but quickly loose interest - Research shows that you are twice as likely to stick to a fitness routine if you work out with someone else, so find an exercise buddy with similar goals and abilities. Your exercise goals and log will help visualize your progress too. Be sure the exercise you have chosen will achieve the results you are hoping for. Remember, weight training will help boost metabolism to burn fat in the long term, but expect weight gain (or at least no weight loss) from increased muscle mass early on.

Exercising for the wrong reasons - You mind is a very powerful organ and must be fully engaged in support of your efforts or it will undermine your results.  Remember, you deserve a healthier life and all the abundance that comes with it. Exercising because someone else wants you to, or to achieve someone else's goals, will surely result in failure or resentment. An appointment with a fitness professional can help you establish goals that are important to you, thus improving your chances of success.