Exercise

Articles and Brochures:

• Down With High Blood Pressure Brochure
• Staying Healthy in College Brochure
• Get Active, Get Fit Brochure
• Getting in Shape
• Steps to Get Moving for Your Health
• Hiking Basics

More articles are available in the Healthy U newsletter and Student Health 101 magazine.

Getting In Shape

To begin, make sure you are healthy. Any fitness book or video contains the disclaimer, “See your doctor before starting an exercise program.” The reason this is recommended is that some conditions, while asymptomatic and/or unknown to you, can impact your ability to tolerate exercise. In the extreme, there can be undetected problems that could lead to death. While this is rare in young adults, it is the reason high school athletes in Wisconsin are required to have a physical exam every two years.

Once you have a clean bill of health, you need to develop a plan. Ask yourself the following questions: What is (are) my goal(s)? Do I want to train to compete in an event like a marathon or other race? Do I want to train to join a team in competition? Do I want to embark on what will hopefully be a lifetime of exercise to improve my health (and my shape)? If competition is your goal, a good first step is to consult a personal trainer. After assessing your fitness, he or she can give you an exercise prescription and a reasonable time frame in which to meet your goals without putting yourself at risk for overuse injury. A good rule of thumb is to allow at least three months either to prepare for a competitive event of to peak in a team sport.

The three aspects of fitness are aerobic/cardiovascular fitness, resistance/strength training and flexibility.

The basic principles behind developing improved aerobic fitness involve a progression of 1) frequency; 2) duration; and 3) intensity of exercise. The mode of exercise should be one using large muscle groups in a way that is continuous and rhythmic. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends three to five times a week; 20-60 minutes per session, at 60-90% of maximal heart rate. To calculate your estimated maximal heart rate, subtract your age from 220. Then multiply by the percent to determine the heart rate (in beats per minute) for your level of intensity. Another means of assessing intensity of a workout is your perceived exertion. You should feel that you are working “somewhat hard” and you should be able to converse without real difficulty while exercising.

Your exercise plan should start at the low end of frequency, duration and intensity, for example 1-2 days/week; for 20 minutes at a time; reaching a maximal heart rate of 120 (for a 20 year old). Progression should be to increase the frequency first, until you are up to 5 days a week (or whatever your goal is); then to increase the duration of your sessions, up to an hour; and finally to increase the intensity of your workout as evidence by your heart rate. This should not occur too rapidly or you will risk injury. The frequency and duration may be built up over the course of 4-6 weeks, but the intensity may take much longer. When initiating an individual fitness campaign, keep in mind that the first three months of regular exercise will bring about the greatest improvement with less rapid progress thereafter.

Another aspect of fitness, resistance training, is recommended to maintain and/or increase strength and muscle mass, as it is lost at a rate of about 1% lean body mass per decade. Resistance training should be done at least twice weekly and include at least one set (8-12 repetitions, or reps) of 8-10 exercises which target all the body’s major muscle groups. There are different exercise prescriptions for resistance training depending on your goals. Consult an exercise resource person (personal trainer, coach, workout mentor or sports medicine physician).

Flexibility, the third aspect of fitness, is the most often ignored. Daily movement maintains your functional range of motion, but if there are subtle inequalities, over time this could lead to injury. Stretching is most effective when muscles are warm, i.e., after a warm-up or work-out, but can be done “cold”. The movement should be smooth, no bouncing and should be held at the point of stretch, not pain, for at least 30 seconds. All major muscle groups should be stretched.

Are you full of motivation and direction now? The road to fitness is not necessarily easy or short. It may involve lifestyle changes to make it routine, but when you chose activities that you enjoy, the physical and mental health benefits you derive from being a fit person are well worth it. Good luck on your “shape up!”

Adapted from article by Wendi Johnson, M.D.

Steps to Get Moving for Your Health

Healthy U, Issue 4, Oct. 2005

If you think you're too tired or busy to exercise, here are some great benefits of physical activity that may change your mind:

1. Regular physical activity improves your mental health. It reduces stress, improves your sense of well-being, lowers anxiety and depression, and improves your problem-solving skills. You will also sleep better.
2. Regular physical activity improves your overall health. You will have more muscle, less fat, and better cardiovascular health. As a result, you will be less likely to develop heart disease and some forms of cancer. You also will have a stronger immune system and strong bones. This all means a longer, healthier life.
3. You don't have to be as fit as a professional athlete to benefit from physical activity. In fact, 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week can greatly improve your health.

To get physically active and stay active:

• Choose an activity that's fun.
• Change your activities, so you don't get bored.
• Walk while you talk on the phone.
• Play sports instead of watching a DVD sometimes with friends
• If you can't set aside one block of time, do short activities during the day, such as three, 10-minute walks.
• Create opportunities for activity, such as parking your car farther away, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or walking down the hall to talk to a coworker or friend instead of using e-mail.
• Don't let the cold weather keep you on the couch! You can still find activities to do in the winter like exercising to a workout video or joining a sports league or gym.
• Use different jogging, walking, or biking paths to vary your routine.
• Exercise with a friend or family member.
• Play with your children, nieces/nephews or neighbor kids.
• Make activities into social occasions—have dinner after you and a friend work out.
• Read books or magazines to inspire you.
• Set specific, short-term goals, and reward yourself when you achieve them.
• Don't feel badly if you don't notice body changes right away.
• Make your activity a regular part of your day, so it becomes a habit.

Before you start any physical activity, talk to your doctor if you:

• have heart disease or had a stroke or are at high risk for them
• have diabetes or are at high risk for it
• are obese (body mass index of 30 or greater)
• have an injury (like a knee injury)
• are older than age 50

Source: Fitness and Nutrition in Men, National Women’s Health Information Center with additions from Marilyn Kile, UHCS

The Pack Man

By Kelly Senn, NWI Intern

Celebrate June by going for a hike on one of many local or national trails in your area. First, make sure you have packed properly. Below are necessary items for basic packs/day trips. Once you have your basic pack ready, you can build from there.

Determining what to take depends on where you will be hiking and the duration of the hike.

The basics according to Jeff Wetherington from the Suite101.com backpacking website are:
Hiking boots or quality walking shoes with an extra pair of socks
Backpack or daypack—how big depends on how long your trip will be.
Proper clothing—remember to layer if you are beginning in chilly weather and ending in warm weather and vice versa. A simple type of rain/wind gear can be beneficial.
Water—It is the best form of hydration, 2 quarts per person, more if you are hiking in a dry area or for more than a half day.
Food—Make a little extra just in case.
Map/Compass or GPS.
First Aid Kit and a multi tool.
Sunscreen/Insect repellant.
Your Identification.
Ziploc baggies/toilet paper&mdash"Leave no trace" motto meaning leave Mother Nature beautiful and take home your garbage.
Above all, make sure to tell someone if you are hiking alone when you will return or even in a group, someone needs to know where you are.

Smart wool socks are a great addition to anyone's closet and there are many all purpose hiking shoes/boots out there; just make sure you are comfortable. As noted in the above listing, layering is key. You can always take off or put on clothing as needed.

Food was mentioned above. Simple, small and nutritious is the best. Some suggestions: GORP also known as gobs of raisins and peanuts (have fun creating and adding your own elements to the mix); real jerk (jerky); fresh fruit like apples, hard cheese and crackers. The site www.outdoorplaces.com is an excellent reference for information on where to hike and gives more detailed information.

Now that you have your pack basics; let's go hiking! A great local resource is a state gazetteer. It features everything from hiking, biking, camping, fishing, natural/historic landmarks and food manufacturing, places to see—all in your state! Travelling with this giant map is great because adventure is at your fingertips and many times free. It also enables you to familiarize yourself with the beauty within your state.

If you are fortunate enough to live close to national parks and mountains, you can use www.npca.org or www.thebackpacker.com/trails websites. The backpacker is a monthly publication that features local and national hiking/backpacking trails and gives information on anything you want to know about this outdoor activity.

Remember to don your boots and get outdoors! Discover something new in your state that will provide a great memory!

© 2010 National Wellness Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.