Why exercise is absolutely necessary
Tuesday, July 24th, 2007If you knew of a pill that could help you lose weight, think more clearly, feel more confident, increase your lifespan and improve your sex life, how much would you pay for it?
I bet the pharmaceutical company that discovered that pill would charge a lot of money for it, and people would still flock to their doctors’ offices to buy it by the case. Well, the good news is that this “pill” is free, and it is called aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercises get your heart and lungs pumping lots of fresh oxygen into your cells (“aerobic” means “with oxygen”), creating all kinds of positive results. Studies have shown that regular aerobic exercise provides the following benefits:
• Increased energy level
• Reduced overall stress level
• Reduced body fat and overall weight
• Reduced mental and muscular tension
• Improved concentration, mental clarity and decision-making abilities
• Increased self-esteem and self-confidence
• Help eliminating waste matter from the body
• Improved overall positive mood and general well-being
• Reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression
• Help with sleeping better
• Help with looking better
• Increased interest and performance in sex
• Improved chances of living longer and living healthier, with some of the following effects:**Decreased risk of heart disease
**Decreased blood pressure
**Decreased cholesterol level
**Decreased risk of diabetes
**Decreased risk of osteoporosis
**Decreased arthritis symptoms
**Decreased risk of colon, prostate and breast cancers
In the United States over 50% of us are taking some type of prescription medication to treat problems related to many of the issues listed above. Over 83% of people who are sixty-five and older take at least one prescription medicine and almost half of them take three or more (“Health, United States 2004,” U.S. Department of Health And Human Services). Considering that there are over 295 million people in the U.S., we are talking about a lot of pills.
In a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services press release, HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson stated that, “Americans are taking medicines that lower cholesterol and reduce the threat of heart disease, that help lift people out of debilitating depressions, and that keep diabetes in check.”
But wait — all of these health issues have been proven to be relieved by regular aerobic exercise… why are we so proud that Americans are taking medicines to solve problems that studies have shown we can resolve ourselves?
An excellent example of this is a recent Duke University study on the effects of exercise on depression. After studying people who suffered from depression for four months, the researchers found that 60% of the participants who exercised for thirty minutes three times per week overcame their depression without using any antidepressant medication. This is the same percentage success rate as for those who solely took antidepressants in their treatment.
Knowing all of this, why wouldn’t anyone want to exercise? I mean, who would want to have an increased chance of cancer, depression, heart disease, etc.? Unfortunately, too many of us. Seventy percent of Americans know how much exercise we need to stay healthy, but we just don’t do it. (I guess we prefer the medicine…)
Because of the endorphins and serotonin that is released into the body during exercise, it makes you feel great. It is one of the keys to staying positive and happy throughout the day, and it is an indispensable element on the path to 360° Success.
For those of us who believe we are just too busy to work out, studies have also shown that we reap many of the benefits of exercise after as little as twelve minutes, even though most experts recommend at least thirty minutes of aerobic exercise daily. Because you will sleep better (and less), you might actually find that you create a few “extra hours” in your day by carving out thirty minutes or so to work out in the morning.
If you have never exercised before, or it has been a long time, there are plenty of ways to start slowly. Just go outside for a thirty-minute “power walk”. It is a great way to get back on the path to physical fitness.
Other options are jogging, the elliptical or rowing machines, or (my personal favorite) rebounding. Rebounding, exercising on a mini-trampoline, was made popular by Tony Robbins. Unlike jogging, rebounding causes very little impact to your bones and joints. Moreover, the up-and-down motion on the rebounder provides a full body workout, utilizing gravity to increase and release the tension in every muscle in your body as you bounce.
In fact, the change in the effect of the force of gravity on your body as you bounce actually helps your cells expel waste, and circulates your lymphatic system so that your entire body is purified through the exercise. All that, and it is really fun to do (kind of like jumping on the bed as a kid). You can start by bouncing lightly with a balance bar and work your way up to jogging, and even more complex kicking motions on the rebounder as your fitness level improves. Fifteen to thirty minutes of rebounding in front of an open window (for oxygen) in the morning will make you feel like a million bucks before you start your day. I highly recommend you try it and see for yourself. There are many models available on the Internet, ranging between $90 and $350.
If you haven’t been exercising lately, it might be hard for you to stay on track. Remember, the old programs from our subconscious create habits that can be difficult to overcome. It isn’t enough to just want to work out — as many of us know, from New Year’s resolutions gone by. Here are a few suggestions for maintaining consistency in you exercise program:
1. Work out in the morning: Wake up a little earlier and get your motor running. A research study found that 75% of people who exercised in the morning kept up the habit for over a year, compared to 50% who exercised at lunchtime, and only 25% who waited until the evening.
2. Keep your rebounder “at the ready”: Put it in a place where you see it in the morning to make it easy to hop on for a few minutes.
3. Go to sleep in your workout clothes, or keep them right by the bed: Gives you an immediate reminder to exercise in the morning, and makes it easy.
4. Make it fun: Do something you find fun and put on some of your favorite music to pump yourself up.
5. Hire a personal trainer: This is highly recommended, especially if you are just starting your program. Paying a bit extra for a trainer provides an incentive to show up for workouts, a little extra push during the workout, and expert instruction to help you avoid injury.
6. Get a workout buddy: This provides incentive to work out, and extra push, without the expense of a trainer.
The most important thing is to give yourself enough time to gain momentum. The law of Inertia (which we will discuss more at length later) states that an object in motion tends to stay in motion, and an object at rest tends to stay at rest. So, if you have been “at rest” for a long time, it will take some time for your body to get used to being “in motion”. However, once it does, a morning workout can become as essential as the morning cup of coffee is to others. That is when you know momentum is on your side.
One more important note on exercise: As much as 50% of the endorphins (i.e., the “feel-good” effects) created by exercise are lost when you are distracted by other activities, so you should never watch television, read a book, or surf the Internet while exercising. It is important to focus on the exercise you are doing at that moment. Once those endorphins kick-in, you won’t need any external “entertainment”. You will just love the thing you are doing, and that is what 360° Success is all about.
