GET FIT WITHOUT EXERCISING by Shari Miller Sims in RxEmedy Magazine September/October 2000

How to make every move count – for starters, just try hiding the remote.

About six years ago, Jane Norstrom was becoming increasingly frustrated as she tried to figure out how to get adults more active. No matter what she said when she talked to groups-part of her job at HealthSystem Minnesota-people kept asking one simple question:

“What’s the best exercise?”

Once the surface her answer seemed clear and simple: “Just do as many different activities as possible.” But in fact it was too broad and vague. And reading out a laundry list of activities didn’t help-there were too many choices. “It tended to leave people feeling lost,” she says. “Then one night, sitting on the couch, it came to me: The food pyramid has really helped a lot of people understand what makes up a healthy diet. Why not create an activity pyramid? I sat down at my computer and worked it out.”

Norstrom’s idea has come a long way from the rough photocopies she handed out during early workshops. Her Activity Pyramid now incorporates guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and major medical studies. It is used by public health groups across the country. It’s available in English and Spanish. It has been copyrighted by the Institute for Research and Education, where Norstrom is a staffer.

And yet her basic idea hasn’t changed from that first night on the couch: Like eating a variety of foods, if you just do a variety of activities-many of them not even “exercise”-you will be more likely to stay physically fit and independent. And your body will thank you for it: More and more evidence shows that we need to stay activity throughout our lives for optimum health.

KEEP IT SIMPLE

“When experts talk about exercise, they tend to forget one critical fact,” says Norstrom. “Many people don’t want to go to a gym or put on a leotard or join an aerobics class.”

“For some people, exercise is the ‘E’ word. They hate it,” agrees Dale Brigham, PhD, assistant professor of nutrition and fitness at the University of Missouri-Columbia. “We haven’t yet gotten across the concept that any activity-indoors, outdoors, vigorous or not-counts,” adds Norstrom. “They pyramid gives you a place to begin and a simple path to follow. For instances, if you haven’t been active at all, start at the base. Just walk to the store or the post office tomorrow morning and you’re already ahead of having driven there, even it it’s only a few blocks.”

Brigham’s approach, an idea he calls “found fitness,” complements Norstrom’s. “People who hate exercise often love to work in the garden, get great satisfaction out of waxing the car, like to play catch or walk the dog,” he say. “You can take advantage of the ‘found fitness’ opportunities in these everyday activities, just the way some sculptors crate ‘found art’ from objects they discover laying around the neighborhood.” For instance, if you’re straightening up the house, take things up or down stairs right away rather than accumulating a pile and making one trip.

“The latest fitness research-which suggests that 10 minutes of activity three times a day is all you need to get some benefit-is tremendously important,” adds Peter G. Snell, PhD, University of Texas Southwest Medical Center, Dallas. “Virtually everyone has the time and stamina to go for a 10-minute walk. If you choose a place that’s particularly pleasant, or walk with a friend or a pet, or do some of your daily chores on foot, you’ve turned '‘exercise’ into doing something rewarding.” And you may find that 30 minutes, not 10, have flown by.

Also, look around the pyramid of several things you like to do. Not only does your body like variety but interests change over time. “You may have been an ace tennis player in your 30s but no longer have the time or enthusiasm for it,” says Snell, a former Olympic runner who won three gold medals for New Zealand in the 1960’s. A 20-minute bike ride after work or half an hour of driving golf balls may suit you better now. “The point is, if you get tired of one thing, try another.”

The key to staying motivated, adds Snell, may be to find an activity that goes beyond the physical. He offers an example from his own life: “For some people, including me, there’s a thrill that comes from competition, from challenge. Now running's gotten hard on my knees and, honestly, a bit boring. So instead, my wife and I have started doing orienteering-a sort of treasure hunt on foot that tests your map and compass skills in forests. IT challenges our minds as well as our bodies and it’s something we can do together.”

For more on exercise, go to www.healthsclout.com/af/phys and search under “exercise” or “fitness”


[This message has been edited by Kelly_S (edited 12-07-2000).]

I'm looking for a quick link to the pyramid but having not much luck. So here it sort of is:

(top) CUT DOWN ON watching TV, computer games, sitting for more than 30 minutes at a time

2-3 TIMES A WEEK (left side) Leisure Activities - golf, bowling, softball,yardwork (right side) Flexibility and Strength - stretching/yoga, push-ups/curl-ups, weight lifting

3-5 TIMES A WEEK (left side) Aerobic Exercise [20+ minutes] - brisk walking, cross-country skiing, bicycling, swimming (right side) Recreational (30+ minutes) - soccer, hiking, basketball, tennis, martial arts, dancing

EVERYDAY - as much as possible (all across the bottom) walk the dog, take longer rutes, take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk to the store or the mailbox, work in your garden, park your car farther away, make extra steps in you day

BE CREATIVE IN FINDING A VARIETY OF WAYS TO STAY ACTIVE

If you are inactive (rarely do activity) - Increase the daily activities at the base of the Activity Pryramid by:

1) taking the stairs instead of the elevator
2) hiding the TV remote control
3) making extra trips around the house or yard
4) stretching while standing in line
5) walking whenever youcan

If you are sporadic (active some of the time, but not re - Become consistent with activity by increasing actvities in the middle of the pyramid by:

1) finding activities that you enjoy
2) planning activities in your day
3) setting realistic goals

If you are consistent (active most of the time or at least 4 days each week) - Choose activites from the whole pyramid by:

1) changing your routine if you start to get bored
2) exploring new activities

Thanks for the pyramid tool, Kelly!

I was about to search for that online and you saved me the trouble.

:)

pulling up!

HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?

No, this isn’t about the limbo! It’s about a special kind of exercise called “low impact” that coaxes out calories oh-so gently.

Your backbone slips, your joints all pop, you knees won’t bend and your hips won’t hop! But is that any reason to give up exercise totally? No-o-o-o! I bet you’re glad to know that, too. You deserve as much of a chance as anyone to lose the weight you want.

All you need to do is focus on what’s called “low-impact exercise.” You’ve heard of that, right? But I’ll explain it anyway. (I was born to explain, ya know!) low-impact exercises puts less pressure on the parts of your body that hold you up: your knees, your hips and so on. See, when you jump up and then come down for a landing - while you’re say, jogging, jumping rope or taking a wild-‘n’-crazy aerobics class - your legs are support your weight and then some extra Gs too! We call that high impact. Sometimes the pressure is so much that you can actually damage or wear out a muscle, joint or bone…and let’s not forget that it hurts too! Ouch! Honey, my own knees could tell you stories.

High-impact exercise is okay for lots of people, but it makes some of my friends uncomfortable. You might be one of them if your knees are weak (and it’s not just because that special someone just passed by!), your joints are out of whack, you’re pregnant, or you’re very heavy and just starting on my plan (or any plan). What to do? Do yourself a big favor and choose low-impact workouts like the ones in our little chart. Or go ultra-low with the exercises that follow! You do them sitting or lying down, so they don’t put any weight on your legs at all! (They’re you can-do solution if you are in a wheelchair or bed, too.)

You should know that changes are, you won’t quite be able to get your heart pumping hard enough to call your exercise aerobic and give you those hearth-healthy benefits we all love. And if you’re sittin’ in a chair or lyin’ in bed, your exercise won’t be the “weight-bearing,” bone-building kind. But I always like to end on a positive note! Lemme just tell you what you do get from waving your arms around, moving your upper body and shaking a leg or two:

1) A fantastic opportunity to burn calories! The longer you exercise, the more calories you burn and the more weight you lose. These exercises will use up to 3 calories a minute. It may not sound like much, but just remember that little things mean a lot! If you keep going for 10 minutes, that’s bye-bye to 30 calories. You make it to 20 minutes? So long to 60 calories!

2) A chance to build muscle, also know as the body’s own calorie furnace! Muscle needs more calories to live than fat does.

3) An automatic cheer-up. Exercise always makes me feel better, and lots of my friends tell me it does the same for them. Could it be its stress-busting powers? That great I-did-it feeling? Both, I betcha.

So here are a few low-impact exercises to try. Now, I’m not gonna tell you how many times to do each one…just stick with it as long as you can (being sure to stop before you feel any ouches!!!).

Fly with Me. I know you don’t like to get down on the floor, but most of us sleep lying down right? You can do this one in bed, if you remember to park two full cans of soup on your bedside table the night before. (I always like using cans for workouts because they remind you that you “can” do it.) Lie on your back and hold the cans (other small, heavy objects are fine too) way out to your sides. Now hold on tight, raise the cans over your head, then drop your arms back down.

Getting a Leg Up. Lying on your back, bring your right knew up to your chest, then drop it back down. Do as many as you can, then switch to the other leg.

Circles of Life. Hold your cans, stick your arms straight out to the sides and make large forward arm circles. Do as many as you can before switching to backward circles.

Seated Reach-Out. Bend at your waist and let your arms drop near your feet. Now re-e-e-each out and lift your arms as high as you can. To burn more calories, hold a couple of full cans. Here’s what I hope: that these low-impact exercise have a big impact on your life.

EASY DOES IT!

Yep, exercises don’t have to be hard to be effective! Just check out about how many calories these low-impact exercise use:

DANCING: ballroom - 4 calories a minute; twistin’ - 7 calories a minute
WALKING: brisk - 5 calories a minute; racewalking - 10 calories a minute
SWIMMING: treading water - 5 calories a minute; backstroke, breaststroke, crawl - 11 calories a minute

BE SURE TO CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE BEGINNING ANY EXERCISE PRO[/i]

From Richard Simmons and Friends, Vol. 6, No. 7, April 2000

Healthy Week: 10 tips for exercising during lunch By Loni Nannini, SPECIAL TO THE ARIZONA DAILY STAR on Friday, 13 October 2000

-1-Prepare yourself to train during lunch.

A pair of cross-trainers can turn a lunch hour into a convenient fitness opportunity, according to Calvin Hammond, head trainer at Metro Fitness, 7315 N. Oracle Road and 110 S. Church Ave.

"This can supplement a regular workout at the gym, or if it is the only activity you can do, so be it. It is just a matter of getting started and getting some activity in," Hammond said.

A standard session with a personal trainer is 60 minutes, making lunch a prime window of time. Ideally, Hammond suggests a five- to 10-minute warm-up, 10 minutes of stretching, 30 to 45 minutes of individually tailored cardiovascular and/or resistance training, followed by 10 minutes of cool-down and stretching.

Remember to consult your physician before starting any new exercise routine.

-2- Walk around the block.
"When you need to conserve time and don't want to get too sweaty in your work clothes, walking is great. It is an accessible, conservative way to get started," Hammond said.

A leisurely walk on a level surface can burn up to 300 calories an hour; walking briskly can increase that to 360. Pump your arms, and you can burn as many as 480 calories an hour (numbers vary based on body composition); walking with hand weights (or water bottles) and taking advantage of stairs can up the intensity even more.

Hammond recommends a minimum of three hours per week of cardiovascular training.

-3- Take a seat: Try chair squats.

To strengthen and tone your lower body - gluteals, quadriceps and hamstrings - simply sit down.

Stand in front of your chair with your feet at shoulder width. Slowly sit down in the chair, keeping your back straight and abdomen tight.

Slowly rise again, keeping the torso aligned.

"You don't want to be hunched over when you are doing this. Take your time and don't flop down in your seat," Hammond said.

Unless otherwise indicated, he suggests performing between one and three sets of eight to 12 repetitions for each exercise detailed.

-4- Calf raises can sculpt your legs.

Stand with your feet apart (shoulder width). Rise to your tiptoes, holding the position for two seconds before slowly returning to the floor.

-5- Push-ups: the ultimate upper-body builder.

This classic works the chest, back, shoulders and triceps.

Hammond recommends beginners try push-ups against a wall or desk before advancing to modified (standard push-up position with knees resting on the floor) or military-style.

-6- Increase upper-body strength with isometric contractions.

Definition: "Isometrics" - exercises in which a force is applied to a resistant object, creating a buildup of tension in muscles without actual movement.

"The muscle doesn't lengthen or shorten: You are not moving anywhere, but are still exerting force. You can push a wall, or actually push your hands against each other (as though praying)," Hammond said.

Begin with eight repetitions, holding the position for 15 to 20 seconds.

Caution! Avoid isometric training if you have heart disease or high blood pressure.

-7- Improve postural alignment: Practice deep-breathing exercises.

Hammond said poor posture is a modern epidemic.

"If you are sitting at a desk all day, you are usually hunched over - your shoulders are rolled forward. . . . We see so many people like this that it seems like it is the norm, but it isn't," he said.

One antidote? Relax in your chair in an upright position, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly, concentrating on smooth, cleansing breaths.

-8- Stretch at your desk. "From a practical point of view, stretching helps prevent injury," Hammond said.

Getting limber can also help relax the mind, enhance circulation and tone the body.

"Stretching at Your Computer or Desk" by Bob Anderson and Jean Anderson offers stretching exercises designed specifically for the workplace.

-9- Tote a resistance band to tone up.

These portable pieces of oversized rubber tubing pack a powerful fitness punch. Bands, complete with a full-body exercise guide, are widely available at fitness and department stores (including Target).

-10- Join a nearby gym. Hammond suggests consulting with a fitness professional to maximize lunch-hour efforts.

"You would be surprised at what you can do in even 20 minutes. You have to be structured and efficient with your time, but that can be learned," he said.

Resource: Calvin Hammond, head trainer at Metro Fitness, 7315 N. Oracle Road and 110 S. Church Ave. There is a third location at 5851 E. Speedway.

Kelly, :)!

Naylene

pullling up this info for the influx of newbies

A few sentences from wwk 4 booklet "Get Moving":

pg. 3 "Changing you eating habits is critical, but weight-loss success is also closely linked with exercise."

pg. 8 "Exercise is a lot like food. All types of exercise provide health and weight-loss benefits."

pg. 10 "Many people think that exercise requires going to a gym or taking part in some other kind of structured program. While this is certainly an option, the chores we do in everyday life are also considered exercise. Raking leaves, scrubbing floors and washing windows are all exercises and can be done at different levels of intensity. The thing to remember is that all activity counts."

Ok so the book says raking leaves and scrubbing floors and washing windows are exercise. Give me my treadmill, the outdoor track, the swimming pool and the VCR with aerobic tapes! I AIN'T (yes I said AIN'T) about to scrub floors, wash windows or rake leaves when I could be having FUN! :)

Naylene