Start, Stick, Stay with Exercise By: Jessica Ewen, MS Exercise Physiologist Alaska Regional Hospital

What is Physical Activity? Anything that gets you moving!

Helps people achieve and maintain a healthy weight Reduces feelings of stress, anxiety & depression Builds and maintains healthy bones, muscles & joints Boosts energy level Improves quality of sleep Physical Activity and Exercise Reduce the risk of Dying from heart disease or stroke Developing high blood pressure, cholesterol & diabetes Developing obesity Developing osteoporosis – exercise builds strong bones & muscles Benefits of Physical Activity and Exercise

64% of adults are overweight in the U.S. Approximately 35% of adults are obese. 17 % of children ages 2-19 are overweight. Obesity is the second leading cause of unnecessary deaths. U.S. annual medical cost of obesity in $147 billion. Medical costs for obese people was $1,429 higher than those of normal weight. National Trends

Finding a Balance Calories in Food > Calories Used = Weight Gain Calories in Food < Calories Used = Weight Loss Calories in Food = Calories Used = Weight Control

U.S. Surgeon General, American College of Sports Medicine recommend: Minimum of 30 minutes Moderate-intense physical activity Most days of the week. How Much Exercise Do I Need

Why Don’t We Do It? Exercise is Important… I don’t have enough time I get bored!! The gym is too intimidating I am too tired!! I don’t know what to do! I need to take care of the family I Don’t Like It!

Making Physical Activity a Part of Your Life. There are 1440 minutes in every day... Schedule 30 of them for physical activity.

What is Physical Fitness? Good health or physical condition, especially as the result of exercise and proper nutrition.

Components of Fitness? 4 Components of Fitness: – Aerobic – Muscular – Flexibility – Body Composition

Defined – The body’s ability to take in and use oxygen to produce energy. Aerobic activities make you breathe hard & they increase your heart rate. Some of these activities include: - Jogging - Walking - Cross-country skiing - Bicycling Aerobic Fitness

Defined – The strength and endurance of your muscles. Benefits: Improve performance Injury prevention Improves body composition Improves self image Some activities include: - Weight Lifting - Push-Ups Muscular Fitness

Defined – The ability to bend joints and stretch muscles through a full range of motion. Some activities include: - Stretching (Sit & Reach) - Warm-up & Cool-down Flexibility

Defined – The amount of fat tissue relative to other tissue in your body. - Your body composition is based not on how much you weigh, but rather on how much of your weight is fat as opposed to muscle. Body Composition

Measuring Physical Activity Intensity – Rate of Perceived Exertion

Exercise and RPE Warm Up RPE around 13 – “Somewhat Hard” For at least 30 minutes Cool Down (RPE) (Time) Exercise

What is the Best Exercise?

Stages of Change

1.Make a list of “why” you want to exercise (examples of goals) – Decrease BS during each bout – Decrease your HbA1c – Increase insulin sensitivity – Decrease rate of liver glucose production – Lose body fat, increase muscle – Decrease stress, increase relaxation Starting Your Program

2. Make a list of activities YOU like. 3. Make exercise convenient 4. Start simple 5.Add variety to prevent boredom 6.Increase your activity in small increments 7.Visualize yourself exercising Starting Your Program (Cont.)

Be realistic (SMART) – What have you done in the past 3 mo? 6 mo? year? – What stopped you from exercising? What helped you? More frequency and less duration (something is better than nothing) – 1 minute is better than 0 minutes – 1 day is better than 0 Make exercise FUN Setting Goals

Ok, Now What?  Create an Action Plan: 1.Decide what you want (your goal) 2.Visualize achieving this goal 3.Write it down 4.Include details 5.Reread it often 6.Reward yourself “There is no easy way out. If there were, I would have bought it. And believe me, it would be one of my favorite things.” Oprah Winfrey

Goal: I want to lose 20 pounds in 3 months – I will walk 5 days a week – I will walk Mon-Fri at 7 am – I will start walking with 5 – I will add 5 minutes weekly until 60 min – I will review my results weekly and make adjustments to solve issues that come up – I will reward myself monthly with …….. Goal Setting Example

1.“I don’t have time”  Turn off the screens (average American watches 4 hours of television each day) 2.“It’s too much work”  Hence the term work-out; ask yourself what your health is worth to you. 3.“I’m too tired”  Exercise improves energy and allows you to sleep soundly at night 4.“I don’t want to fail”  Exercise is not a contest or race, unless you want it to be! 5.“I hate to exercise”  You’ll hate being immobile even more! Find an activity you enjoy. 6.“I don’t have time”  Look at your schedule more closely and carve out 30 minutes per day Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

1.The buddy system works! Exercise with a friend or join a group-ex class 2.Hire a fitness professional to create a new and improved routine 3.Sign up for an event/s to keep you on a schedule; brag about the events you have done or will do 4.Keep a record to track your accomplishments 5.Reward yourself; buy new sneakers 6.Stay active between your exercise; take the stairs, walk the dog, park further away 7.Refer back to your list of “why” you exercise How To Stay Motivated

Premise – ~ steps = 1 mile – Goal is 10,000 steps daily (~5 miles) – 10,000 regular steps burn ~300 calories – Provides immediate feedback – Can motivate sedentary individuals For success – Wear for a week; determine your baseline – Gradually increase (100 steps/day) Pedometer/Step Programs

Using steps to evaluate activity level Pedometers STEPS per DAYACTIVITY LEVEL < 5000Sedentary Low Active Somewhat Active Active > 12500Highly Active

Drink extra water Always warm-up & cool-down before and after your workout Wear comfortable clothing Pay attention to any discomfort you may feel during exercise Follow your doctor’s recommendations concerning medications you may be taking Exercise Safely and Wisely

Park the car farther away from your destination. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Play with children or pets. Everybody wins. Take fitness breaks Perform gardening or home repair activities. Exercise while watching TV Keep a pair of comfortable walking or running shoes in your car and office. Final Tips For Being More Active

If you sleep for 8 hours and work for 8 hours, how much time does 30 minutes take up for the remaining 6 hours? A. 6% B. 15% C. 27% D. 34%

6%..... Can you spare 6% of your day?

Believe… …anything is possible! “The only reason the bumble bee can fly is because no one told him that he can’t!”