“Okay, I’m in this gym walking around and I have no idea what the
heck I’m doing and how often to do it! Maybe I’ll start next week.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “a state of
complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of
disease or infirmity.”
Taking responsibility for your own health and well-being can be
start the process gradually, taking small steps.
For the purpose of this article, we will focus on physical health
and fitness. Physical fitness defined by the American Council on Exercise is
“the condition resulting from a lifestyle that leads
to the development of an optimal level of cardiovascular endurance, muscular
strength and flexibility, as well as the achievement of ideal body weight.”
BENEFITS
● Gaining a deeper appreciation, understanding and love of
yourself and your body
● Increased self-esteem and confidence
● Reduced anxiety, depression and stress
● Decreased risk of lifestyle diseases such as heart disease, cardiovascular
disease, Type 2 diabetes, and obesity.
● Improved body composition
● Improved posture
● Greater ease when performing daily activities
● Increased bone strength
Don’t worry, there are many people that find it hard to commit to
exercise because of either a lack of knowledge and/or motivation. To be honest,
committing to a healthier lifestyle versus it just being a fad is actually the
hardest part. It’s an investment of time and energy. “Time, I don’t have time
to exercise!” Remember, saying that you don’t have enough time is never a good
excuse for not taking care of yourself. You have time for anything you choose
to make time for. Exercise does not have to be a struggle.
GOAL SETTING and WHERE TO START?
1. Give yourself permission and commit to improving your physical well-being
2. Identify your reason for exercising and motivation
3.Find out and understand what your level of enjoyment is during
exercise
4. Educate yourself
5. Set realistic short term and long term goals and progress gradually
6. Keep your workouts at a reasonable effort and length depending on your
fitness level.
7. Schedule workouts at minimum 3 - 4x’s per week
8. Avoid missing workouts and be accountable
9. Feel good after a workout and don’t over train. Physiological gains occur
during rest and recovery.
The main thing is to find a healthy physical activity that you
will enjoy and continue to do. There are several physical activities you could
enjoy including walking, jogging, aerobics, kickboxing, and weight training to
name a few. It’s good to do at least 30 minutes 3x's a week to improve health.
If time is a concern, you don’t have to do 30 minutes at once. You can do 10
minutes here and there throughout the day.
Remember to always check with your doctor before starting any
exercise regimen.
Yours in Health and Balance,
Tam Neal
Sports Performance Coach
www.absolutbalance.com
