Shape Up This Summer

By Stories by Nancy Tipton Of the Journal

What if your doctor wrote you a prescription for something that could keep your weight under control; reduce your risk of diabetes, stroke and certain types of cancer; boost your immune system and fight depression all at the same time. Would you take it? No- brainer, right?

Such a "prescription" does exist in the form of 30 minutes of exercise a day. Yet most Americans aren’t "swallowing the pill," says Dr. Bob Sallis, family medicine doctor and president of the American College of Sports Medicine.

That’s why the Albuquerque Journal’s Fit magazine and KOAT-TV are teaming up to offer Summer Shape-Up, a familyfriendly exercise program that will take place this June and July. (You can join as a family, couple or individual; see the story on Page 9 for details.)

"Research over the past 50 years shows over and over again that exercise not only reduces the risks of many diseases, but helps manage chronic conditions as well," Sallis says in a telephone interview.

Some experts suggest that the number of health conditions that could be managed or even eliminated if people would get the recommended amount of exercise is 50.

"But a whopping seven out of 10 adults do not get that recommended amount of exercise," Sallis says.

"I’m convinced that most conditions — whether the research is in or not — can be helped by exercise," says Mary Jo Quintana, health education coordinator for Lovelace Health Plan.

Quintana cites a growing body of evidence, which indicates that exercise can:

Reduce the risk of developing health problems such as obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke and cancer. It also is helpful in management of the so-called metabolic syndrome, which is a combination of medical disorders that increases a person’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Those disorders include high blood pressure, fat deposits around the waist and elevated triglycerides.

Keep you active and independent as you age, reducing the incidents of osteoporosis, arthritis and possibly even Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers say that at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three days a week can reduce cognitive decline in older adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Elevate mood and treat clinical depression. The latest studies are showing that medications for depression can be reduced if a patient is a regular exerciser, Quintana says. For those who aren’t clinically depressed, exercise has been proven to improve mood and sense of well-being.

And while getting 30 minutes of exercise a day isn’t quite as easy as popping a pill every morning, it isn’t all that hard either.

"People find the time to brush their teeth and take a shower every day," Sallis says. "People have the time.

"It’s also important to remind people that they don’t have to work up a big sweat at the gym to accomplish this task. Walking is great — it’s easy and it’s cheap," he says.

In the running?

So, where do you stack up? Are you one of the 60 percent to 70 percent of Americans who don’t get 30 minutes of moderate activity five days a week as the American College of Sports Medicine suggests? What’s your excuse?

Heather Morgan, regional personal training and fitness manager for Wellbridge, the company that owns New Mexico Sports & Wellness, says lack of time is the No. 1 excuse cited by the people with whom she talks.

Yes, yes, we’re all busy. But that excuse just doesn’t hold water, Morgan says. "Physically inactive people have just as much free time as exercisers, so you can chuck this excuse," she says. Here are a few suggestions to help:

1. Schedule your exercise time as you do any other appointment in your day.

2. If you can’t find a full 30 minutes during your day, break it up into 10- or 15-minute segments. For example, get up a few minutes early and take a brisk walk, use 15 minutes of your lunch hour to walk the stairs and walk the dog or lift weights after work.

3. Keep a calendar of your workouts so you can track your progress and stay motivated.

4. Remember that exercise generates energy — the more energy you have, the more you’ll get done each day.

Find your fun

Another popular excuse is that exercise hurts or isn’t fun.

"You don’t have to hurt yourself to reap the benefits of exercise," Morgan says. When doing cardiovascular exercise, use a heart rate monitor. Make sure you’re in a "zone" where you can carry on a conversation.

"When it comes to weight training, there should be effort involved since lean body tissue only grows when you challenge yourself. Using the heaviest weight you can handle for 12 to 16 reps will help you get the most out of your workouts. You should feel slight burning, but not teeth-gritting pain."

Morgan suggests working with a personal trainer to get started. Periodically scheduling a training session can also keep you motivated.

As for fun? Not everyone finds activity "fun."

But it doesn’t have to be drudgery either. And finding something you enjoy doing may be the key to sticking to a routine.

Here are a couple of suggestions: Exercise to music, find an exercise buddy or go to a group class, or join a health club. You’re more likely to continue your program if it’s a sociable time and other people count on you to be there.

Take advantage of New Mexico’s great weather and outdoors and go for a hike or a bike ride. Use your activity time as an excuse to explore parks, monuments, historic spots and natural beauty.

Change your thinking

Morgan says that when you look at exercise in the long term — that you have to exercise on a daily basis forever — it can be overwhelming.

"However, you don’t have to change your life overnight. Start with small goals, such as to be more active every day by taking the stairs and moving around more. Decide to get up 10 minutes early to walk or lift weights. Over time, you can increase your workout time and try new things. For now, just worry about making it a daily habit," she says.

And, if you get bored, change it up. "Change your routine every four to six weeks by trying something new, working with a personal trainer or changing your intensity or time. Remind yourself every day what your goals are and what you have to do to reach them."

And reward yourself often. "Massages make great gifts for yourself," she says.

Sallis says you may soon be hearing more about getting enough exercise from your physician.

The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Medical Association have teamed up to help doctors and patients talk more about the importance of activity.

"Exercise is Medicine" aims not only to raise public awareness of the need for a physically active lifestyle, but also to help drive home the medical importance of exercise to physicians and other health care workers.

Sallis says studies show people are open to trying treatments for conditions other than medications, and if physicians prescribe exercise, people are much more likely to take it seriously.

(c) 2008 Albuquerque Journal. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.