© 2006 Wellness Council of America Brought to you by The Wellness Councils of America Chapter 11 Being Physically Active For Life

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3 Being Physically Active For Life…  All the information about good health and quality of life is of no value unless it can motivate and inspire you to change.  Until you change your diet and become physically active—two very difficult behaviors to alter— the benefits will elude you.

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 4 Why Is It So Hard For People To Get Regular Exercise?  Lack of time  Inconvenient  Self conscious  Poor health  Lack of facilities  Poor weather

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 5 Common Reasons Why We Fail to Change Behaviors  I gave up during an especially stressful or busy time.  My family and friends did not provide much support.  I lost confidence in my ability to keep it up.  I didn’t see any of the benefits I thought would come with the new behavior.  I failed to reach my goal.  I lost my motivation.

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 6 Continued…  My environment did not support my new behavior.  My community did not support me in maintaining my new behavior.  I was doing well, but the temptation was too great and I went back to my old ways.  It was a lot of hard work, and it just wasn’t worth it.  Other _____________________________________

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 7 Reasons For Failing To Get Regular Exercise Include  Lack of confidence  Lack of social support  Failure to understand the pros and cons of a new behavior  Failure to set realistic goals  Poor support from the environment and the community

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 8 Those Who Are Successful In Staying Active:  Have confidence in their ability to maintain the new behavior  They receive support from friends, family, and co-workers  They also value the benefits of the new behavior more than the benefits of the old behavior  They set realistic goals  They live in homes and work at places with supportive environments

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 9 Support From Others  Whether you are already physically active or you’re trying to become active, help from others makes it easier.  If you know someone planning on exercising with you, you will be more likely to exercise.

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© 2006 Wellness Council of America 11 Support From Others  Boyfriends, girlfriends, neighbors, children, and even pets make great exercise partners.  Tell your friends and family that you are serious about getting adequate physical activity and you want their support.  Even if they don’t support you, deep down they will be silently envious and wishing they had your commitment to being physically active.

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© 2006 Wellness Council of America 13 Pros and Cons of Physical Activity

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 14 Pros (Benefits of Exercise That I Like) ___ I have more energy. ___ I like the way it makes me look. ___ I’m able to maintain a healthy weight. ___ It reduces my stress. ___ I sleep better. ___ It helps prevent chronic disease. ___ It helps keep my cholesterol low. ___ It improves my self-confidence. ___ I spend time with friends and family. ___ It gives me a chance to get outside. ___ It prevents osteoporosis. ___ Being physically active is fun.

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 15 Cons (Effects of Exercise I Dislike And Barriers That Keep Me From Being Active) ___ I don’t like to get sweaty. ___ I don’t have time. ___ I don’t have any money. ___ The weather is bad. ___ I have an unsafe neighborhood. ___ There are no parks, sidewalks, or bicycle paths near my home. ___ It’s hard to get into the mood. ___ I’m lazy. ___ Exercise is painful.

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 16 Cons Continued… ___ I don’t like sports. ___ I’m embarrassed to be seen exercising. ___ No one will exercise with me. ___ I don’t have exercise clothes, shoes, or equipment. ___ I need to watch my children. ___ I’m pregnant or nursing. ___ I have an illness or injury that makes it difficult or painful to be active.

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 17 “I don’t have time to exercise.”  Lack of time is the most common exercise barrier. To help you find 30 minutes in your day complete the following activity:

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 18 Activities you must do every day Time YOU spend each day Typical Adult Sleep 8 hrs Work, including house work 8 hrs Bathe, get dressed 1 hr Eat 1.5 hr Commute/travel 1 hr Spend time with loved ones.5 hr Exercise 0 hr Activities you want to do every day Watch TV 2 hr Visit with friends or family after work.5 hr Enjoy a hobby.5 hr Do things on the computer.5 hr Read.5 hr TOTAL24 hours

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 19 “I lack motivation.”  Motivation comes when you are convinced that the effort required to exercise is worth the benefits received.  If being lazy means being too tired to get up and exercise, then exercise is just what you need. Expending energy in physical activity can actually make you more energetic and productive. As your cardiovascular system becomes more efficient, you have more energy throughout the day.  If you still lack motivation to exercise, re-read chapter 8 and see what benefits you will be missing by remaining sedentary.

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 20 “I have poor health.”  Generally, when you are sick or ill, you should avoid strenuous exercise until you are recovered. Some physicians suggest there is no harm in exercising when you have a cold, but it is not safe to exercise when you have the flu.  Walking is always a safe, effective choice of exercise regardless of your illness or injury—unless you have a specific recommendation from your physician not to engage in regular exercise.  If you have a specific injury, try activities that use the other parts of your body. For example, if your legs are injured, try swimming or lifting weights - these activities are often therapeutic to the injury because of increased breathing and blood circulation.  Ultimately, you are the best judge of whether or not you should exercise. If you have concerns, talk to your physician.

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 21 “It hurts when I exercise.”  You may experience temporary or even chronic pain when exercising (running or jogging can be painful for some individuals, usually from differences in hip and knee stability or from past injuries). If you have pain every time you do a certain activity, try something else.  Try walking, riding a bicycle, swimming, or using exercise equipment designed to reduce joint impact.  Sometimes you may experience pain because the intensity of the activity you are doing is too high; lower the intensity.

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 22 “I’m self-conscious when others see me exercise.”  Try to exercise with friends or relatives who are supportive of you and who are performing at about the same level of fitness.  Exercise in the privacy of your own home.  Exercise early in the morning or late in the evening. If you choose to exercise outside while it is dark, never go alone.

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 23 “The weather is too bad.”  Exercise during the more comfortable hours of the day. Instead of exercising in the heat of the day, go out in the morning or evening.  If it is too hot or too cold to be outside, exercise inside. Many malls open their doors early to allow walking inside, and many gyms and fitness centers have extended hours or are open 24 hours a day.  Dress appropriately for the weather.

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 24 “I don’t have access to exercise facilities or equipment.”  Some of the best exercise is free and requires no equipment. (Refer to the list of suggested activities in Figure 9.1.)  You don’t have to participate in sports, which often require specialized equipment.  Many places of employment provide exercise facilities, but if your employer does not provide on-site exercise facilities, see if they have or can obtain discounts to local fitness or recreation centers.

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 25 “I don’t like to get sweaty.”  Exercise in the morning before it gets too hot.  Exercise in a gym or other air-conditioned building.  Walk or jog on a treadmill with a fan blowing on you.  Swim.

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 26 “I live in an unsafe neighborhood.”  Never exercise outside alone; always take a partner.  Never exercise outside after dark.  Mornings and lunchtime are a lot safer than evenings.  Check with your employer to see if there are safe places where you can exercise while you are at work.  If all else fails, exercise at home with videos or by doing housework.

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 27 “There are no parks, sidewalks, or bicycle paths near my home.”  Build an exercise-friendly community with grassroots efforts at the city level.  Check with your city to see who might already be making efforts to build trails and pathways and offer your help and support. Many communities have done a great job making their streets exercise friendly, thanks to community support.  Try to find relatively safe places to walk, play, or ride.

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 28 “No one will exercise with me.”  Check with your local YMCA or community center about walking groups in your area.  Post flyers around popular walking areas to invite people to form a walking or exercise group.  Watch for people who are exercising outside at the same time of day you exercise. Be friendly, stop and walk with one of them, and you’ll have an exercise partner before you know it.

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 29  Take the dog for a walk.

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© 2006 Wellness Council of America 31 “I need to watch my children.”  Newborns can be safely tucked into a stroller and pushed around the block.  Children love to ride bicycles; go on a bike ride together or have your child ride while you walk.  Chasing children and cleaning offer plenty of physical activity in themselves!  Mow the yard or wash the car while watching your children play.  You have to mop the floor more often when you have children, so don’t call it mopping, call it exercising.

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 32 “I’m pregnant or nursing.”  If you were physically active when you became pregnant, there are rarely any reasons why you cannot continue your activity during pregnancy.  Check with your physician about refraining from vigorous activity.  Infants don’t nurse all day. There are plenty of 30 minute blocks of time when you can get a break from the demands of motherhood. Let a trusted adult tend your child and go for a walk. Do it for your sanity and your health.

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 33 Some Environments Don’t Support Being Active

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© 2006 Wellness Council of America 38 Lifestyle Changes In Our Environment That Promote Sedentary Behavior  Car Use  Computer Use  Television use  Labor saving devices

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 39 Percentage of All Trips Made by Automobile,

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 40 Percentage of All Trips Made From Home by Walking, % 5.5% 8.5% 9.3% Percent

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 41 Modal Travel in Urban Areas: Europe and North America Percent of Trips by Mode

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 42 Other Stick-To-It Strategies  Use a pedometer.  Leave yourself exercise reminders like setting your walking shoes out for your morning walk, before you go to bed.  Get a dog, they always want to go for walks.  Find something you like to do.

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© 2006 Wellness Council of America 44 Set Simple Goals  Walk to work.  Do sit-ups in front of the TV.  Walk during lunch hour.  Walk instead of drive whenever you can.  Take a family walk after dinner.  Skate to work instead of drive.  Mow your lawn with push mower.  Walk to your place of worship instead of drive.  Walk your kids to school.  Get a dog and walk it.  Join an exercise group.  Replace Sunday drive with Sunday walk.

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 45 Continued…  Do yard work.  Get off the bus or train one stop early and walk.  Work around the house.  Bicycle to the store instead of drive.  Go for a half-hour walk instead of watching TV.  Fetch the newspaper yourself.  Sit up straight at work.  Wash the car by hand.  Run when running errands.  Pace the sidelines at kids’ athletic games.  Take wheels off luggage.  Choose an activity that fits into your daily life.  Park farther from the store and walk.

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 46 The Culprit & The Cure  This book gives you the skills, ideas, and practical know-how to adopt healthy lifestyles and maintain them for life. 

© 2006 Wellness Council of America 47 Points to Remember  Failure is part of the process of making healthy behavioral changes; don’t give up if you experience setbacks or failures.  You can’t be regularly physically active without help from others. Identify others who can be active with you.  Focus on the benefits of exercise you enjoy.  Evaluate ways you can overcome your exercise barriers.  Set goals you can achieve.