How Your Friends Make It Easy to be Healthy: Daily Exercise
July: Sustaining Daily Exercise
This is a diary of the healthy lifestyle goals that my son, Chris, and I are making together each month. In July, Chris wanted to get from one to two hours of exercise five days a week, and I wanted to get a half-hour of aerobic exercise five days a week with stretching and weights on the other two days.
Chris’ Experience
Since Chris was set back from reaching his exercise goals last month when he got sick, he decided to try again this month. His goal is to get from one to two hours of exercise five days a week.
Besides the improved health and good looks that a regular exercise program gives, Chris also likes how it relieves the stress in his busy life.
Both Chris and I observed that some days just get too busy and interfere with our ability to get our exercise.
Chris said, “All things being said, I do feel I’m in better shape than ever before. I feel I’m getting closer to my goals. There are still times I go back and forth between my new goals and old habits. If I can balance the two, that would be nice.”
My Experience
Speaking of old habits: now that I am working on exercise goals, I have noticed myself slipping on my newly acquired diet habits. When I caught myself choosing chips instead of a fruit or vegetable with my lunch, for instance, I had to start consciously adding a fruit or vegetable to every meal again.
One day, I accepted a doughnut from a co-worker. After the first bite, it seemed stale. I kept eating it anyway, aware that it was not a good thing to put into my body. This happens to us when our society surrounds us with sugars and fats and yummy foods that are bad for our health. We have to consciously remember that it’s killing us with diabetes, stroke, heart attacks, certain cancers, etc.
Since then, I try to remember to stop if something doesn’t taste very good. It’s not worth it. But, it’s not easy to quit bad habits.
Getting a half-hour of exercise five days a week seems a lot easier than it was last month when I focused on getting three hours of exercise a week. Maybe that’s because a half-hour is an easy-sounding chunk of time to fit into a day.
I basically started walking. I found it easy to walk for a half hour or more around the City Center where I work — either during lunchtime or after work. I only walk outdoors in the nearby park during nice weather. I dislike walking on a treadmill but I do it if I have to. I prefer a track, where I can go ahead and do some jogging. But the gyms where I have new memberships don’t have a track, just treadmills. I walk until I warm up and break a sweat and I try to get in some stretches, especially for the legs.
So it’s easy to walk, but my favorite summertime exercise is swimming. I love it, so I need it. Every weekend, I try to find the chance to go out to a swimming pool. If the weather is bad or something prevents me from going, I make it up another day.
On the stretching and weights days, I do the “Fit for 50” exercise routine that I mentioned in Chapter 4 of my health diary.
When there are days that are too busy and I can’t seem to fit in my exercise, I make it up later in the week. I’m not pleased about that, and it’s not easy to make it up, but it’s the way I operate. I think it helps.
What Might Happen if You Walk 30 Minutes a Day:
(From PureWow.com)
- Burns about 150 calories.
- Calms and relaxes , no matter the location.
- Tones legs.
- Helps reduce varicose veins.
- Improves digestion.
- Inspires creativity. Time for new ideas to brew.
- Errands can get done. Take your phone with you.
- Inspires more exercise.
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