Stress Part I: Move it to Lose It

Everyone looks for something to relieve his/her stress. Whether it is a massage, a drink, a movie, or a good book, we all have out favorite stress reliever. One of the most beneficial stress relievers however is exercise. I know, how SILLY to think of ADDING something to my life, another think to my schedule to contribute to my stress, but lets look at some of the benefits:

• Exercise can decrease the production of stress hormones.
• Exercise helps build up the immune system.
• Exercise increased endorphins – the feel-good hormones.
• Exercise helps build muscle and strength in your entire body including your heart.
• Exercise helps clear your mind of fatigue and helps you think better.

Whether it is aerobic/cardiovascular, strength training, or flexibility (yoga), any type of exercises you can and will engage in usually will have a benefit for your mind, and almost always on your health.

It takes practice and time to get to the point where you can exercise without your mind going to where you think you should be. For example, going on that walk and thinking about the “to do” list, or “clearing your mind” in yoga class, but eventually it happens. It can take weeks, or months, but you will get there with practice.

You learn to not feel guilty about all those things you should be doing instead of exercise, because when you get back to your task, I promise, it will still be there. If it isn’t…all the better!

How much exercise should you do? Based on the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, here is the reality of it:

• All adults should avoid inactivity. Some physical activity is better than none, and adults who participate in any amount of physical activity gain some health benefits.
• For substantial health benefits, adults should do at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous intensity aerobic activity. Aerobic activity should be performed in episodes of at least 10 minutes, and preferably, it should be spread throughout the week.
• For additional and more extensive health benefits, adults should increase their aerobic physical activity to 300 minutes (5 hours) a week of moderate intensity, or 150 minutes a week of vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity. Additional health benefits are gained by engaging in physical activity beyond this amount.
• Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities that are moderate or high intensity and involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week, as these activities provide additional health benefits.

It may seem like a lot, but lets break it down: 150 minutes is 30 minutes five times a week and 300 minutes is 1 hour a day five times a week.

Will exercise prolong your life? Maybe, maybe not. But it will help it be a healthier life while you are here. Trust me – there is time to do this. One day, there will be plenty of time, but by then it could be too late. The stress will have caught up to you and by then the chronic disease will have caught up too, and you will wish you could do some walking on your own. I hope you saved for retirement and got a good long term health care plan.