Exercise: Think outside the box

Spring is here and summer is around the corner! Take advantage of the beautiful weather and have some fun! Exercise is essential for good health but it does not have to be boring or structured. Read on to learn the many benefits of exercise, how much you need, and ideas to make your workout more fun than work.

Exercise helps us to maintain or improve our health and fitness. But it also has many other added benefits. If you find yourself struggling to exercise despite the fact that your doctor (or health behaviorist) suggests it for improving your cholesterol or body weight, you may find more motivation in some of these additional reasons:

·   Exercise improves your mood. Physical activity, especially the kind that increases your heart rate, stimulates chemicals in the brain that make you feel happier and reduce your stress. Exercise can also be a natural remedy to prevent and decrease depression. Participating in fun activities allows you to enjoy yourself and while it is improving your health, it also helps to make you to look better and feel better, boosting confidence and self-esteem.

·   Exercise increases energy. Physical activity increases the circulation of blood and oxygen throughout the body to the heart and other organs, increasing your energy level.

·   Exercise improves sleep. Physical activity relieves stress that can keep you up at night. It will also help you to fall asleep faster and allows for deeper sleep. Be sure not to exercise too close to bedtime, as you will be too energized to sleep.

·   Exercise helps to maintain a healthy weight. Physical activity burns calories! The longer and more intense the activity, the more calories are burned.

·   Lastly, the best benefit of all is that regular physical activity leads to a longer life! All of the benefits listed above are yours if you become active. In doing so, you can also prevent or manage high blood pressure, strengthen muscles and bones to prevent osteoporosis, minimize risk of obesity and diabetes, reduce triglycerides, and increase HDL (which is the good cholesterol that protects your heart from heart disease). With regular physical activity, you are more likely to live longer, feel well and energized, look great, and prevent chronic disease.


Wondering how much exercise is necessary to achieve these benefits? Check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention physical activity recommendations for adults to learn about different combinations of exercise and time. Remember to speak with your doctor before beginning a new exercise program and be sure to start out slowly in order to condition your muscles and prevent injury.

Tired of going to the gym or unmotivated to workout in your basement? Get outside and go green!

Here are some ideas for activities that will make you forget that you’re exercising!

• Grab a walking stick and go for a hike or walk with your family or friends. Explore nearby county or state parks and enjoy the peace and beauty that they have to offer.
• Buy or rent a bike or canoe for the day
• Start up a friendly game of kickball or softball with your neighbors
• Plant and maintain a garden or landscape your yard
• Jump rope with your kids and learn new tricks (this is excellent exercise!)
• Play Frisbee with your spouse
• Take a brisk walk around the neighborhood

Most importantly, be creative so that physical activity is fun for you and does not become a chore.  If you’re feeling bored or reluctant, it’s time to find something new to keep you moving! Studies show that people who practice “Green Exercise” significantly increase their motivation for exercising.   

If you don’t have time for an outdoor activity or the weather isn’t cooperating, consider these gym-free indoor options:

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Walk during your lunch break
• Do a few rounds of jumping jacks, push-ups, sit-ups, and squats
• Put on an interactive workout video that will boost your heart rate like kickboxing, P90X, Insanity, power yoga, or Pilates (you can find them at the library, On Demand, at a video rental shop, or buy them on sale).
• Run up and down your stairs several times
• Use resistance bands,
• Play on Wii Fit
• Lift dumbbells
• Put on music and dance in your living room!

Try to do some form of physical activity on most days in order to create routine and habit. We all know that it’s much easier to stop exercising than to start. The bottom line is that exercise can be fun and rewarding for you! It can even become a hobby. All it takes is a little creativity and effort to try something new.

Feel free to ask a question in the comments section below or share additional ideas of physical activities that you enjoy.  Have fun!