We’re through that “in like a lion” part of March. So, now we can make use of the improving weather and start doing some marching of our own. I know I nag about this. But hey… it’s my job.
The shocking truth is that less than half of us do enough exercise to get any health or fitness benefits from it. So walking is maybe the easiest and best place to start. I know, I know, you’ve heard this before. Well… you’ll hear it again. Each day in the coming week I’ll talk about our march to better health.
TODAY: CHECK YOUR CLOSET FOR WALKING SHOES. I’M SURE YOU HAVE A PAIR YOU CAN DUST OFF.
It’s Monday, weigh-in day. You need to do this every week. Chart your weight but don’t obsess about small daily changes. Look at the big picture. (no pun intended) Weighing yourself just once a week is sufficient. If you can lose just 1 – 2 pounds a week you’re on your way to a weight you can live with. You might not lose weight every week. That’s normal. Just stick with it and the scales will tip in your favor.
TODAY: TAKE A GOOD WALK (IT IS “MARCH” AFTER ALL) TO THE MARKET AND BUY VEGGIES TO CUT UP FOR SNACKS.
Yesterday I told you to exercise in the morning. Now today I’m suggesting that you exercise at the end of the day. I know your thinking what the hell? Can’t you make up your mind? Well the truth is I’m trying to make up yours!
Just like the morning exercise gets you pumping, exercise late in your day will get rid of all the tension that has built up. A good brisk walk, or spinning on the exercise bike, or simply doing several reps of exercises will clear your head, warm your muscles and get you ready for a nice hot shower. It will curb your appetite some while relaxing you for when you go to bed for a good solid sleep. So you can get up early… and exercise!
TODAY: GET SOME EXERCISE BEFORE DINNER.
A little walk in the morning or even just a few stretching exercises will get you limbered up and your metabolism moving. It will also get your insides active to move some of yesterdays food through your system faster. So get up and get going. (In every way.)
TODAY: START THE DAY WITH SOME EXERCISE. ANY EXERCISE WILL DO!
A common problem when you are carrying some extra weight is knee pain. I know you understand that carrying extra weight around takes more work, but your knees really suffer. Even a little extra weight triples your chances of developing arthritis. Here’s why. Every extra pound puts five pounds of stress on your knees. So being just 10 pounds overweight is like 50 pounds to your joints. Also, research shows that losing 11 pounds may cut the risk of osteoarthritis of the knee by half.
Losing weight may be a pain but it will eventually reduce even more pain in your knees. Otherwise you don’t have a prayer.
TODAY: REMEMBER TO DO STRETCHING EXERCISES BEFORE YOUR WALKS TO LIMBER UP THOSE MUSCLES AND JOINTS.
Yesterday I introduced you to the idea of doing your exercise in short manageable chunks during your day. Just 30 minutes in ten minute sessions. Well there is one more trick to making it work for you. Since the exercise is in brief intervals, it’s important that you do it at fairly high intensity to get the most benefit from it. You need to raise your heart and respiration rates. It’s not just a leisurely stroll. Push yourself to a good brisk pace, long stride and good deep breathing. You should “feel the burn” when you finish. That way it keeps your metabolism up for a while after you’re done and keeps burning calories faster. Okay you might sweat a little. That’s okay, you’ll get the recognition for your efforts that way. Of course the slimming effects will show up later.
TODAY: DON’T FORGET TO DRINK YOUR 8 GLASSES OF WATER. HAVE A BIG GLASS BEFORE EACH WALK. IT MAY SPEED UP THE END OF YOUR WALK IF YOU NEED TO GO TO THE BATHROOM.
Even 10 minute exercises need to be enjoyable to keep you on track. You should find that walking time is a great time to let your brain churn and come up with ideas. That happens to me when I walk alone, ride my bike or even while mowing the lawn. But if you can’t seem to get motivated to start just add walking to your routine chores. Do you need to go down to the market? Walk instead of hopping in the car.
If the exercise bike or stepper seem boring. Do something else when you exercise. Some people say they can read when they are doing it. I never could, but I did move it to in front of the TV. You’ll find that the time really moves along faster. You can even use the commercial breaks as a convenient timer. Start during one set of commercials and finish during the next. Or maybe decide to keep going.
The main thing is to think of those 10 minutes as being YOUR time. It’s also paying you back with more time living a healthy life.
TODAY: DECIDE ON SOME FUN WAYS TO EXERCISE.
Daily Nag, Exercise | Diet Nag | 
March 8, 2011 6:04 am | 
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