Adding Fitness to Your Daily Routine

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Adding Fitness to Your Daily Routine

The first, and easiest, change to make on your journey to fitness is

to add " lifestyle physical activity " to your day. This means being

more physically active as you carry out your usual daily activities.

You can:

park in a faraway spot and briskly walk to your destination;

take the stairs instead of an elevator;

rake leaves instead of using the blower;

play tag with the kids instead of computer games;

go golfing, bowling or dancing for fun;

walk down the hall instead of using the phone or e-mail to discuss

an issue with a colleague;

take a walk during a morning or afternoon break — and ask a friend

to go with you;

do indoor chores — wash the windows, scrub the bathtub or reorganize

your closet, for example; and

do some active outdoor chores — mow the grass, work in the garden or

wash the car.

Making these changes is an easy way to improve heart and respiratory

fitness, mood and muscular fitness and to reduce body fat.

However, for women who need to make more dramatic gains in fitness

or would like to lose weight, a more formal exercise program, in

addition to lifestyle physical activity, may be necessary. Your

program should include the main components of fitness:

Aerobic activities, which involve using the large muscles of your

body in rhythmic, continuous motion, improve cardiovascular

conditioning and help reduce body fat. Aerobic exercises include

walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming and aerobics or exercise

classes or videos.

Strength training, such as weight lifting, improves muscular

strength and endurance, helps maintain bone density, and raises

metabolism, causing you to burn more calories

Stretching exercises, which include slow, gentle movements that

elongate your muscles, improve flexibility. These exercises are

often worked into exercise classes or videos and also are a part of

yoga.

How Much Exercise Is Enough?

One of the most common questions is, " How much do I need to

exercise? " The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and

other professional groups recommend that healthy women do some sort

of aerobic exercise on most or all days of the week for 30 to 45

minutes. These minutes can be accumulated — 15 minutes of an

aerobics video in the morning and 15 minutes of brisk walking in the

evening, for example. Intermittent exercise can be part of a good

weight-loss strategy because your metabolism is elevated following

each bout of exercise.

If you have been inactive, you need to work up slowly to this

amount. Start with five or 10 minutes — or whatever you're

comfortable with — every other day, and add one minute every other

session. If you do too much too soon, you can become injured,

fatigued and discouraged. At the top end, professionals recommend

experienced exercisers do no more than 200 minutes per week of

aerobic exercise with no more than 60 minutes per session.

Similarly, strength training should not be overdone. Start slowly,

with lighter weights, and work up to heavier weights and more

repetitions or sets of repetitions. You don't need to strength-train

more than three days per week; and always wait at least 48 hours

before exercising the same muscle group to give those muscles

adequate time to recover between sessions.

Stretching and flexibility exercises should be done for 10 to 12

minutes three times a week. They can follow an exercise session.

Some lighter stretches can even be done at your desk or while you

watch TV. Examples of stretching exercises include shoulder or arm

circles. There are also a number of stretches specifically targeted

to arm, back, chest, thigh and calf muscles.

How Hard Should You Exercise?

The second question is, " How hard do I need to exercise? " As you

work on increasing the length of your exercise sessions, you also

need to work on increasing their intensity. Low-intensity aerobic

exercise, like housework, gardening and walking the dog, provides a

great deal of general health benefits, but to truly enhance fitness,

especially if weight loss is one of your goals, you need to up the

ante and exercise at a moderate or higher intensity with vigorous

activities like brisk walking or jogging, singles tennis, aerobics

classes or cycling.

Because the goal of aerobic exercise is to work your heart muscle,

your exercise needs to increase your heart rate. One way to

determine if you are exercising intensely enough is to measure your

heart rate. Your heart rate should be about 70 to 85 percent of its

maximum. Maximum heart rate for one minute is your age subtracted

from 220. After warming up and then sustaining an aerobic activity

for about five minutes, take your pulse by placing two fingers on

the radial artery on your wrist. Count the beats for 10 seconds. The

number of beats you count should fall between the two numbers listed

beside your age in the chart below. The following chart illustrates

recommended 10-second heart rate counts.

Age / Number of beats in 10 seconds:

20 / 23 to 28

30 / 22 to 27

40 / 21 to 26

50 / 20 to 24

60 / 18 to 23

Older adults should exercise as often as others but aim for a lower

number of beats per minute. To determine exactly what your heart

rate should be during exercise, subtract your age from 220; divide

that number by 6 for a 10-second heart rate count; then multiply

that number by 0.6 for the lower end of the range and 0.75 for the

higher end.

For example, if you're 70 years old:

220 - 70 = 150 (this would be your maximum heart rate for one minute)

150 ÷ 6 = 25 (this would be your maximum heart rate for 10 seconds)

25 x 0.60 = 15 (this would be your target heart rate for 10 seconds)

An easier way to judge intensity is the " talk test. " You shouldn't

be exercising so hard that you can't talk with a friend or recite a

poem. If you can't talk without gasping for breath, slow down.

If you are taking medications for high blood pressure, your heart

rate may be kept artificially low and intensity should be monitored

using the talk test.

The intensity of your strength training exercise will increase over

time as well. Again, don't strain to do more, but slowly work your

way up to heavier weights or more repetitions. The last two reps

should be difficult to achieve, because the idea is for the muscle

to be challenged; if the last two are no longer difficult, it's time

to move to heavier weights. You will be amazed at how much more you

can do after even a few weeks. Generally, select a weight that you

can lift only 10-15 times and perform two sets of each exercise.

Gradually progress to a weight that you can only lift six to 10

times and perform two to three sets.

What Kind of Exercise?

The third question is, " What should I do? " The key to sticking with

an exercise program is choosing activities you enjoy, and there are

many to choose from.

Strength Training

The best way to start strength training may be to hire a certified

personal trainer for three or four sessions to develop a plan for

you and show you how to use the equipment properly. You can use

weight machines, free weights or resistance equipment like specially

made rubber bands or a weighted vest, and you can strength-train at

a health club or at home. Strength training videos that show you how

to use common household items such as food cans and water bottles

can save expenditures on weights or other fancy equipment. In any

case, if you don't use the proper form, you can injure yourself, so

you do need to learn how to use the equipment, whether it's from a

personal trainer, a video or a book. Be sure any video or book you

use is up to date by looking at the date it was published as some

once-popular strength training exercises have been found to be

potentially harmful.

Strength training is important to women of all ages. In young women,

it can set the stage for a lifetime of stronger bones. In women over

age 30, it can help slow or reverse the natural process of muscle

degeneration. And studies have shown that older women who strength-

train not only maintain bone density but have a much lower risk of

hip fractures, due in part to the improvement in dynamic balance

that often accompanies stronger muscles.

Functional or core strength training is a type of training that

helps strengthen the muscles of the trunk, abdomen and pelvis. The

idea is to strengthen these first muscles in the " movement chain " to

prevent injury and to provide a solid base, so that the muscles

further down the chain — the legs and arms — have a stable base

supporting them and will also be strengthened safely and more

efficiently. So, for instance, rather than strengthening your legs

with hamstring curls and leg extensions — which don't have much

application in real life — you do squats, step-ups or walking lunges

that challenge your entire body and improve dynamic balance while

strengthening your legs and thigh muscles.

Aerobic Exercise

The options for aerobic exercise are many and varied. Some of the

more popular choices include the following:

Brisk walking is the most popular aerobic exercise among women and

is appropriate for women of all ages. Walking at a swift pace burns

almost as many calories as running or jogging for the same distance,

and poses less risk for injury. If you are a beginning walker,

choose a level surface. Gradually increase your pace until you can

do one mile in about 15 minutes. To intensify the exercise, add

hills and varied terrain to your course. You can also use hand

weights of one to three pounds, but avoid ankle weights as they can

cause injury.

Jogging burns more calories in less time and is as simple and

convenient as walking, but it is too strenuous for some and may

cause joint injuries. If you are a beginner, alternate walking and

jogging for the first three or four weeks. Then gradually increase

the jogging portion until you can comfortably run for the entire

workout. Remember not to exceed your target heart rate; the talk

test may be the best way to easily monitor your exertion level.

Aerobics classes or home videos offer variety, music and

choreography, and some women prefer the extra motivation an

instructor provides. Start with beginner classes or videos, and

watch the instructor carefully for proper foot placement and body

alignment to avoid injury, especially to your knees. There are a

variety of types of aerobics classes, including:

Step classes incorporate a low bench that allows you to step up and

down while performing various moves.

Boxing classes and Tae Bo have become a craze in some parts of the

country. Boxing classes consist of aerobic moves combined with

boxing moves such as punching and footwork. Tae Bo adds martial arts

moves, including karate-type punches and kicks, to the mix. The feet

and upper body move for most of the class, providing a total-body

workout.

Slide classes involve a special mat and booties that slip over your

shoes and allow you to slide back and forth on the mat. Great for

toning the lower body but should be avoided by those with knee

injuries.

Interval classes combine step or floor aerobics with weight training

using hand-held weights or special rubber bands.

Toning/sculpting classes incorporate floor aerobics with a

concentration on isometric exercises for specific body parts.

High-impact classes incorporate moves such as jumping, running and

hopping, and are not recommended for women with joint problems in

the lower extremities.

Low-impact classes incorporate moves where one foot is always on the

floor. They are not necessarily low-intensity exercises, though.

Don't forget to take particular care of your feet! According to the

American Podiatric Medical Association, proper shoes are crucial to

successful, injury-free aerobics. Shoes should provide sufficient

cushioning and shock absorption to compensate for pressure on the

foot many times greater than found in walking. They must also have

good medial-lateral stability. Impact forces from aerobics can reach

up to six times your own body weight, which is transmitted to each

of the 26 bones in the foot. Because of the many side-to-side

motions, shoes need an arch design that will compensate for these

forces, and sufficiently thick upper leather or strap support to

provide forefoot stability and prevent slippage of the foot and

lateral shoe " breakup. " Make sure shoes have a toe box that is high

enough to prevent irritation of toes and nails. Major shoe companies

today have designed special shoes for aerobics, which provide the

necessary arch and side support; they also have soles that allow for

the twisting and turning of an aerobics regimen.

Spinning is an exciting aerobic exercise developed in the 1980s.

Participants use a specially designed stationary bike, and the

instructor leads the class on an imaginary ride accompanied by

energizing music. During an average 45-minute class, you can burn

400 to 500 calories. Be sure to talk with the instructor before your

first class to go over the type of clothing you might need (padded

shorts), your target heart rate and your physical limitations.

Swimming is an ideal exercise for pregnant women and those with

physical limitations such as musculoskeletal problems and asthma.

However, swimming does not raise the heart rate quite as much as

other aerobic exercises because humans are equipped with a reflex

that causes the heart to slow down when immersed in water. For

swimming, use a heart rate target of 75 percent of the maximum minus

12 beats per minute. It is also not the very best activity for

losing weight because the body tends to conserve body fat as

insulation in cold environments. For those whose only option is

swimming, however, it is certainly better than remaining inactive.

If you have arthritis, try to find a facility with a warm water pool

that conforms to Arthritis Foundation guidelines.

Flexibility Training

Don't skip flexibility exercises, because they are beneficial in

helping prevent cramps, stiffness and injuries. They also ensure a

wide range of motion, particularly important as women age. Some

flexibility/stretching regimes are popular enough now that you

should be able to find a class for either that fits your needs and

schedule:

T'ai chi, an ancient Chinese practice, is becoming popular for older

adults. T'ai chi incorporates slow, graceful movements with

relaxation and breathing techniques. It is said to improve strength,

flexibility, balance, coordination and posture, and is recommended

by the National Institute on Aging because it may reduce older

adults' risk of falling. The Arthritis Foundation calls it the ideal

exercise for arthritis sufferers. Traditionally performed on land,

t'ai chi can also be done in chest-deep water for added resistance

and support.

Yoga has been practiced for more than 3,000 years around the world,

and now about 6 million Americans practice yoga. Yoga increases

flexibility, strength, balance and range of motion. It also reduces

stress and increases feelings of well-being. Everyone from high-

powered executives to stay-at-home moms to people coping with

illness or injuries can practice yoga. A typical yoga class involves

breathing, a warm-up period, yoga postures that consist of specific

ways of stretching and moving the body and relaxation and

visualization. Be sure to find a qualified, certified yoga teacher

and begin slowly.

Pilates is a 70-year-old, low-impact exercise technique that was

first developed by German immigrant ph Pilates. It has recently

experienced an upsurge in popularity, in part because of the greater

popularity of yoga, but also because numerous celebrities have begun

using it for toning and stretching. Some Pilates programs use a

special machine with pulleys and ropes that gently stretch all parts

of the body with mild resistance; others use a series of floor

exercises more akin to yoga. It is also called " The Movement, " and

much of its focus is on strengthening back and abdominal muscles,

increasing flexibility and building core strength.

You can buy a video to show you how to do stretching exercises in

the privacy of your own home, or you can have a personal trainer at

a gym show you how to incorporate the exercises after your cool-down

period.

Special Considerations: Exercising When Pregnant

Exercising when you're pregnant can help you achieve better posture,

less back pain, less stress, better digestion, more energy, an

easier delivery and less " postpartum belly. " It can also prevent or

control gestational diabetes and reduce the chance of complications

during delivery. If you've exercised throughout your pregnancy, you

will be rewarded with increased strength, flexibility and stamina

during labor and delivery, as well as a faster recovery.

Be sure to consult with your OB/GYN or midwife about your exercise

routine. If you were already active before becoming pregnant, you

should be able to continue, within reason. If you are new to

exercise, be sure to start slowly and do not overdo. Low-intensity

or low-impact cardiovascular exercise like walking, swimming, low-

impact aerobics classes or special exercise classes for pregnant

women are best. You can engage in these activities three to four

times per week for about 30 minutes per session. Ask your health

care provider about a target heart rate; keeping it below 140 beats

per minute is recommended. It's critical that you keep your body

cool and well-hydrated (drink lots of water) during exercise. Don't

forget to warm up and cool down.

Strength training during pregnancy can also be beneficial in

building stamina and strengthening muscles and bones. Use lighter

weights or resistance because heavier weights increase your chances

of injury. Remember to breathe normally. Keep these pointers in mind:

don't do exercises performed while lying on your back after 20

weeks;

avoid deep, unsupported knee bends, abdominal exercises while lying

down, double-leg raises and straight-leg toe touches (your ligaments

are more prone to injury during pregnancy and you must not compress

your uterus after 20 weeks);

because overheating can be dangerous to your baby, don't exercise in

hot, humid weather or wear excessive clothing;

always drink plenty of liquids; and

stop and consult your health care professional if any unusual

symptoms appear, including pain, bleeding, dizziness, shortness of

breath, irregular heartbeat or difficulty walking.

Special Considerations: Women With Chronic Conditions

Today, exercise is often recommended as a management strategy for

many chronic medical conditions. Of course, a thorough discussion of

exercise with your health care professional is imperative prior to

beginning any kind of program.

For example, for women who suffer from osteoporosis, a bone disease

that causes bones to thin and weaken, exercise is highly

recommended. A carefully designed exercise program can help protect

your bones and retard development of the disease. Weight training,

in particular, helps counter the effects of osteoporosis by

stimulating bone formation. Begin with a weight that you can lift 10-

15 times, and perform one to three sets. Progress to two to three

sets of a weight that can be lifted only six to 10 times (up to 80

percent of your maximum). Walking, jogging and aerobics classes also

help build bones. Bicycling and swimming, however, don't stimulate

bone formation in the hips because you do not bear your full body

weight on your feet. Flexibility exercises enhance your posture and

increase your balance, making you less susceptible to dangerous

falls.

Exercise also is extremely helpful if you have diabetes. Diabetics

who are physically active have fewer complications. Exercise can

lower your blood sugar level, helping reduce or eliminate the need

for insulin. The American Diabetes Association recommends a

combination of aerobic activity, strength training and stretching

exercising three to five times per week for 20 to 40 minutes each

time. Your health care professional will need to oversee the design

of your fitness program. Always check your blood sugar level prior

to exercise; if it's lower than 70 mg/dl or you are exercising more

than one hour after a meal, you may need to decrease your insulin or

have a light snack beforehand to avoid having your blood glucose

level drop too low. Always have a fast-acting sugar source with you

in case you do have a reaction, and wear a medical alert

identification bracelet or necklace. There are several other

precautions you need to be aware of, so be sure to consult your

health care professional first.

For women at risk of developing heart disease — if you have a family

history of heart disease, are overweight, smoke or have high

cholesterol, diabetes or high blood pressure, for example — exercise

is crucial. In fact, according to the American Heart Association,

lack of physical activity itself is now clearly shown to be a risk

factor for cardiovascular disease, the No. 1 killer in America.

Studies have shown that people who are physically inactive are from

1.5 to 2.4 times more likely to develop heart disease — a risk as

great as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and cigarette

smoking. Even low- to moderate-intensity activities such as pleasure

walking, climbing stairs, gardening, yard work, moderate to heavy

housework or dancing can bring benefits when done for as little as

30 minutes a day. More vigorous aerobic activities such as brisk

walking, running, group fitness classes, swimming, bicycling, roller-

skating and jumping rope — done three or four times a week for 30 to

60 minutes — are best for improving the fitness of the heart and

lungs. If you already have heart disease, you can exercise safely as

long as you work out under medical supervision and carefully monitor

warning symptoms. Check with your local hospital or university for

monitored cardiac rehabilitation exercise programs. Strenuous

physical exertion is never recommended for people who suffer from

congestive heart failure, unstable angina, chest pain, significant

aortic valve disease or aortic aneurysm. Some of these conditions,

however, such as congestive heart failure, might benefit from mild

or moderate exercise under controlled situations.

Exercise also is beneficial for and can help control obesity, high

cholesterol, high blood pressure and back pain, and may improve the

symptoms of some neurological and emotional disorders. It also has

been shown to help prevent certain types of cancer.