Getting Enough Exercise Is Easier than You Think

05-29-09 RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Not only are we spending more money on candy and cigarettes these days, but according to a recent Gallup-Healthways Poll, very few Americans are exercising more than three days a week, and even fewer are exercising the recommended four to five days per week. And yet, many of us know that exercising can cure a whole host of ills, so why aren’t we doing it?

THE DETAILS: The poll of more than 400,000 American adults found that 49 percent of people work out less than three days a week, while only 27 percent exercise the recommended five or more days. Not surprisingly, of the 27 percent that exercised the most, a third had healthy body weights, and more of them reported lower stress levels and higher levels of energy and happiness than people who never exercised.

WHAT IT MEANS: Exercise is a solution for practically every major health problem we face: diabetes, chronic pain, depression, breast cancer, heart attack. “The benefits of exercise are not in question, and most individuals know that they should exercise, but what seems to be lacking is the motivation,” writes Healthways lead researcher Amy Neftzger.

To get motivated, and stick to an exercise plan, try these ideas:

• Start off slow. Most people think that starting an exercise program means jumping in feet first in some reality-show–style pushing of physical limits that leads to tears, heart palpitations, and vomiting on a treadmill. Rest assured, it doesn’t. Start with 10 minutes of walking, which the American Heart Association says has the lowest dropout rate of any form of exercise. As you get more comfortable with those short walks, increase the number of days a week you walk, or add 5 minutes to each session. Eventually, you want to work up to 2½ hours a week, but that can be months, not days, down the line.

• Make it a social occasion. Research has found that working out with a friend helps you stick to your plan but make it fun. Join a class or sports team together, or go for a walk in the park after work rather than meeting up for drinks.

• Excuseproof your workouts. The more you enjoy doing something, the less likely you’ll be to find reasons to avoid it. So if you love nature, hiking outdoors might be a better fit than a treadmill workout at the gym. On the other hand, a spinning or aerobics class might be better for people who like feedback and encouragement while they exercise.

• Meet your goals, or pay if you don’t. Setting goals is a good way to stay motivated while exercising. But setting goals is easy; meeting them is a different story. To help you stay on track, a new website, www.SucceedOrElse.com, allows you to set up an account in which you set a goal and then send the company however much money you want as insurance that you’ll meet that goal. At the outset, you tell them what to do with the money if you don’t meet it, for instance, donate it to a social or political cause you don’t support. If you meet your goal, you get the money back; if not, it goes to the undesirable cause. Or you can ask a friend or family member to play a similar role.

• Write it down. Treat exercise as you would a meeting or an appointment. You’re less likely to ditch it if it’s scheduled into your day. Likewise, write down how long you exercise so you can add up the minutes at the end of the week. Noting your progress will keep you motivated to exercise again the following week.

• Remind yourself why it’s important. Exercising isn’t just about weight loss. It also helps improve your mental well-being, cut stress, and help you lead an overall happier life. Studies show that people who keep reminding themselves of that are more likely to succeed with an exercise program than people who think it’s all about the pounds. And make it personal. If heart disease runs in your family, remind yourself that exercise helps reduce your risk. If a stressful work situation is keeping you up at night, keep telling yourself that exercise will reduce stress and help you sleep.