We are meant to move. Unfortunately, we live increasingly more sedentary lives due to social and technological advancements. For most of us, this has created a need for us to schedule and prioritize movement. Exercise has been studied for a number of health benefits, including cardiovascular, metabolic, musculoskeletal, mental health, and neurological benefits. According to a recent article, “Lifelong aerobic exercise protects against inflammaging and cancer,” aerobic exercise can promote healthy aging and extend life expectancy by 3-10%, and lifelong running decreases inflammatory markers associated with cancer.
After having spent over a decade as a personal fitness trainer, I’ve learned to encourage others to seek out forms of exercise that spark joy. According to the review article, “Evidence for prescribing exercise as therapy in chronic disease,” what exercise is best suited for you can depend on your specific goal or condition. Each of us has to find activities and exercise intensity that match our current level of health. Building up your fitness prowess and stamina from a solid foundation allows slow adjustment to intensity that is crucial when suffering from a chronic disease or after a long period of inactivity. Many patients have a number of obstacles that discourage them from exercise, such as lack of time, energy, and enthusiasm. I thought I would share a little of my own personal story as example of how to overcome this.
I was not what you call athletic growing up. Fun was never a word I would’ve associated with gym class. At the age of seventeen, I became determined to become physically fit. After high school swim team, track, and boot camp in the military, I felt strong both physically and mentally. Seeing how much fitness had changed my life, I wanted to help others reap the same benefits. While in the fitness industry I did a lot of endurance sports in addition to strength training. In my late 20’s I started to notice health symptoms: frequent illness, chronic cough, migraines, and extreme fatigue. I kept pushing through it, and by some miracle pushed myself all the way through a medical doctorate. I felt so much frustration that I couldn’t workout the way I had been for so many years, but every time I would try I would spend a week or two after just recovering. I started to listen to what felt right for me. I would spend 15 minutes a day doing various exercises at home. By doing just a tiny bit every day, I slowly built up stamina to increase the intensity and duration of exercises. My need for nature brought me outside for light jogs, walks and hikes with friends, and I found solace in a yoga practice.
The advice I now give patients is to start with baby steps. The more often you move, the better your body will adapt and you will build a strong foundation to be able to power through activities that bring you joy. Just a small amount every day can have a big impact on health long-term. For individual programming and medical evaluation, please schedule a consultation.
Ways to increase your physical activity
· Explore different workout videos. There are so many options to choose from depending on level of desired intensity. Consider a 7-minute workout, chair workout, gentle yoga with spine mobility, Tai Chi, Jane Fonda, Richard Simmons, dance videos- the choices are endless.
· Schedule the same time every day to walk outside. This can be both beneficial for creating a break in your day, getting fresh air and vitamin D, and resetting your mood.
· Join a meet-up group. Finding a group to enjoy an activity with can be a good way to meet new people and socialize.
· Get a workout buddy. Having another person to hold you accountable benefits both parties, and makes exercise more enjoyable.
· Consider adopting a puppy to go on walks with (I would promote adoption of any animal if you can get creative with walking them). The caveat to this recommendation is that you need to have the time and resources to provide a good loving home for the animal. Caring for an animal fosters health and promotes emotional well-being.
Resources:
· Id MIN, Bourgeois JM, Nederveen JP, et al. Lifelong aerobic exercise protects against inflammaging and cancer. 2019:1-25.
· Pedersen BK, Saltin B. Evidence for prescribing exercise as therapy in chronic disease. 2006; 16:3-63.
· Cornelissen VA, Smart NA, Survey NE. Exercise Training for Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review and Meta- analysis. 2012:1-9. doi:10.1161/JAHA.112.004473.
· Penedo, F, Dahn, JR. Exercise and well-being: a review of mental and physical health benefits associated with physical activity. 2005; 18:189-193.