GET MOTIVATED AND GET MOVING

We’ve talked about how important diet is to your health andwell-being. Now it’s time for the next step (or quite a few steps if you aredoing it right). Exercise.

An effective exercise program should be fun and keep youmotivated. It might help you to focus on a particular goal, like reducingstress, improve your stamina, decrease effects of a medical condition, or evenfit back into your “skinny” clothes.

It is often hard to get started with an exercise routine,but once you get through the initial stage of just doing it, you may find that youcan’t do without it. Your everyday activities will become easier; you’ll havemore energy to do those activities and the side benefits of weight loss,improved sleep, and lower blood pressure as well

You don’t have to join a gym to exercise. If you aren’t usedto exercising, begin by taking a brisk 10-minute walk twice a week. Eventuallyyou can do this on a daily basis. There are all sorts of activities you canparticipate in that don’t include the need for a routine. Try a dance, yoga, orkarate class. You could also join a baseball or bowling team, or a hikinggroup. The social aspects of groups can be motivating.

You should exercise at least 3hours a week. Includemoderate-intensity aerobic and muscle strengthening activities. Depending onyour schedule, you could exercise for 30 minutes, 5 days a week or 60 minutes,3 days a week. As you become more fit, you can challenge yourself by increasingthe intensity of your exercise and increase the amount of time you exercise.

Here are some ways you can get your heart pumping withoutpumping iron at the gym:

· Walking (There are even groups that walk at theMall so you don’t have to face the elements)

· Ride a bike Ride (Find local trails athttp://www.traillink.com/)

· Take a hike (with a friend, family member, orfind out what is offered through your local hiking club.  Check out local websites for a group near you

· Row, row, row a boat like a Kayak or Canoe at alocal water source

· Play a round of golf and ditch the cart and carrythe clubs

· Tennis

· Take a class in Yoga, Pilates, or Tai Chi

· Dance!

· Swim. There is always a pool you can accesssomewhere

· Rock climbing. There are usually big rocksaround too.

· Rollerblade

· Jump rope. Ask any kid how fun that is.

· Pick a chore: Gardening, mow the lawn, walk thedog

· Take the stairs instead of the elevator

The point is, a body in motion stays in motion. It’s up toyou for how long that is possible.