What do you tell yourself about exercise? You don’t have time? You have too many aches and pains? You can’t stick to an exercise program? You are too old, too out of shape or too tired to exercise? Maybe you are trim and you don’t feel like you need to exercise? Or perhaps you just don’t like it? Some of those things may be true, understand that they are all limiting beliefs that you tell yourself, that keeps you from actually moving your body.
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ou might not want to hear this, but if you don’t currently exercise…now’s the time to start (whether you are trim or overweight). Deep down inside if we’re honest with ourselves, we all know that if we really want to get healthy and stay healthy well into our 70’s and beyond, the cold hard truth is that we need to keep active and move our bodies so that our bodies properly support us, especially as we get older.
Some of us take better care of our cars than we do our bodies (hey, there’s a post about that HERE), but just like we maintain our cars so they operate properly and get us where we want and need to go, we need to maintain our bodies for the exact same reasons. And we do that by feeding our bodies the proper fuel to power our body (cells, bones, organs, muscles, brain) and moving the body on a regular basis. I mean we wouldn’t put regular gasoline in our car that requires premium gas – right? So why do we put junk food in our bodies. I can’t stress this enough…it’s simply a MUST that you take charge of your health if you plan to live a long, enjoyable and healthy life. After all, if you think about it your body really is your most valuable asset. And no one can do it for you…it’s all you boo!
Believe me, I totally understand not exercising. I didn’t exercise for years and I paid for it with a very unhealthy body. I was obese. I was on pharmaceutical drugs for high blood pressure and high cholesterol. And I absolutely had no energy to do much of anything but go to a stressful job and come home to eat snacks followed by dinner followed by desert and plop down on the couch in front of the TV.
I blindly took my pills to keep my body in check. What an awful plan that ended up being.
Fortunately my body took over and shocked me into action by bestowing a life threatening illness on me. Fortunately you ask? Yes, I say fortunately because that medical condition that should have killed me ended up being a blessing in disguise and ended up saving my life! It forced me to make some serious life changes!
For me, learning to love exercise all started with 15 minutes on the treadmill! I’m sure you are asking, “How can 15 minutes really make a difference?” I’m here to tell you that just 15 minutes can and did make a difference for me! It’s what got me moving, something I hadn’t done consciously in a very long time.
That 15 minutes on the treadmill saved my life and put me on a life path I never thought would be for me. A path that has ultimately made health and well-being my passion. A path that made me realize the importance of moving my body daily not only to help me get in shape, but to make me stronger. A path that helped me change the way I thought about the food I was consuming to fuel my body. And now, 140 pounds lighter, I eat the right fuel for my body, I exercise every single day and I have more energy than I knew was within me. Not only do I feel more A-MAZ-ING than I ever knew possible, but I know within my soul that my body will support me into my older years.
And while my exercise regime started with just 15 minutes on the treadmill, as I got stronger it was a natural progression to “up” my movement. Sometimes it was adding more time, sometimes it was adding another mile, sometimes it was upping my incline, and sometimes it was exploring different classes and different kinds of activities and sometimes it was just taking a walk outside with my dog so we could both soak up some vitamin D.
Suffice it to say, my exercise routine evolved significantly over the last 10 years and now includes more than just treadmill time. Although, I do continue to walk on the treadmill every single day as part of what I refer to as my “base workout” (or my must do every day for “me” workout).
Certainly I am not suggesting that the treadmill is the right place for YOU to start. That is something you will need to determine for yourself. But if anything, all of us know how to walk, and if we physically have the ability to do so, it’s a great place to start! What I’m saying is, “Hey! If you’ve got legs, now’s the time to use them.”
Walking has so many benefits beyond just strengthening your muscles and bones. It’s also great for your brain and cardio vascular system, it helps to increase your energy levels and aids in maintaining and improving your balance. And, it’s also a great way to get outside in nature, meet other people, get away from the TV and/or your electronic devices and burn a few extra calories.
But if you aren’t a “walker” there are plenty of other exercises out there that might be for you.
In my journey, I learned that there are essentially four core types of exercise or movement and I share them with you here to give you more ideas to consider as you think about and build your personal movement routine.
If you have any concerns about starting an exercise program, certainly consult with your doctor or trainer before you start.
4 Core Exercise Categories:
1. Resistance or Strength: This category of movement includes any movement where you are using your own body weight to resist gravity. Some examples are lifting weights, resistance bands, sit ups, push ups, pull, ups, dips, lunges, squats, planks, hip raises, chin ups, and so on. You’ve heard of Calisthenics? This is that category. The benefits of doing these movements are to improve coordination, endurance, strength and muscle mass. And if you are trying to slim down, lifting weights can help you get lean as it’s great for burning fat! Start small and slowly build up the reps and weight until you can manage larger weights including kettle balls and various machines at the gym. If you are packing extra weight on your body, these exercises can be a challenge. I mean 25 jumping jacks or even 5 sit ups can make you want to quit (it did me). But over time, you’ll look forward to doing some of these kinds of exercises daily.
2. Aerobic or Endurance: You’ve heard the term “cardio?” This is that category. This category includes any movement that increases your heart rate. Among other things, it includes walking, jogging, running, dancing, bike riding, swimming, water aerobics, elliptical and so on. Honestly there are so many aerobic activity options it’s impossible to list them all here. The greatest benefit of “cardio” workouts is that it’s fantastic for your heart and lungs. One thing I know for sure about aerobic exercise is that if you move from a low altitude state (let’s say DC) to a higher altitude state (such as, Colorado) doing exercises that “work” your lungs and heart will help you adjust to the higher altitude a lot faster.
3. Balance: We all understand the concept of balance and why it’s so important to us as we age, there are also mental benefits of some of the movements in this category. It includes things like Tai Chi, Yoga, Pilates, Boxing, and really even just sitting and then standing up over and over is considered a balance movement. Balance helps us to maintain and improve our coordination which helps to prevent falls which of course is important at any age.
4. Flexibility: This category is all about flexibility (and balance). The main movement in this category is stretching (think Yoga or any movement that allows us to stretch our muscles). We may need to start by holding on to a counter, chair, bar or wall – or maybe even getting down on the floor to stretch. Your muscles will thank you for the stretch time both before your workout, after your workout or on alternate days where you aren’t doing other activities.
After learning about these four categories, I strive to combine some form of all four categories of movement into my life on a weekly basis. Notice I said weekly not daily. That’s a goal I’ve worked up to over the years.
The US Department of Health and Human Services recommends 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercise (such as brisk walking). That’s just over 20 minutes a day. I mention that only as a reference point. You probably won’t start at 20 minutes a day but certainly you will want to make that a goal. As you know my exercise journey started with 15 minutes a day on the treadmill not the recommended 20 minutes. Everyone needs to start where they are are and slowly increase your activity over time so you don’t burn out or injure yourself! I’m a firm believer that above all, you need to listen to your body and do you!
So what’s your starting point? Will it be 15 minutes on a treadmill or something else that gets you moving? If you are already exercising (high fives to you), how can you “up” your game? What can you do to change it up? What can you do to incorporate all four categories of exercise into your life?
If you are interested in a workout log book (a journal to track your daily movement), click HERE to head over to my MERCH page. Then scroll down to find the journal button and click it to be taken to Amazon where you’ll see my exercise journal and many of my other journals.
The journey to a healthier, happier you is so worth the effort. I know—because I lived it.
I stopped chasing skinny and started focusing on my health—and that single shift changed everything. I lost 140 pounds, but more importantly, I found clarity, energy, and a life that finally feels like mine. I share the whole story in my book. Click here to learn more and see what’s possible.
