AEROBIC ACTIVITY
I am the kind of person that does not like to exercise. I have been involved in different exercise classes and have purchased videos and tapes. I have joined different health clubs and other organized activities through community education, but I have never stuck with one program. I know that aerobic activity is needed to maintain my health, but listening to aerobics experts and reading various information it all seemed over whelming to me.
During my last physical my doctor told me that due to the heart disease in my family it is very important that I get involved with aerobic activity several times each week. I explained my past experiences with trying to be involved in various aerobic activity, and how I found it difficult to stick with a program. He told me that aerobic activity does not have to be organized, nor does it have to be doing the same thing each time. Aerobics is simply working the large muscle groups at a regular pace strenuous enough to cause your breathing to increase. This can be achieved through walking at a brisk pace, walking in place, biking, swimming, rowing or any other aerobic activity that you find enjoyable. He feels that it is more beneficial to vary the aerobic activity through out the week because this allows you to strengthen various muscles and it keeps you from getting bored. He said not to worry about taking your pulse and trying to figure out the different formulas that aerobic activity experts are coming up with, the important thing is to go out and get your heart beat going and improve your lung capacity.
On my way home from the clinic I reflected on what the doctor had told me. It made sense to me to just continue the walks that I was already taking, but to push myself to go a bit faster. I did this for two weeks and found that I was going farther on my walks in the same half hour period of time. After the two weeks of increasing the pace I began to wear one pound wrist weights. The added weight slowed me down a bit, but I could feel my lungs and heart were working harder. By making just a couple of minor adjustments to my evening walks I was involved in aerobic activity. There are some days that I simply do not have the time to walk. I mentioned this to one of my co-workers. She said that she had just read an article that said if you did not have 30 minutes to devote to aerobic activity at one time, you get the same benefits by increasing your breathing rate for three 10 minute intervals throughout the day. It is easy to fit this in by simply walking though the large office building I work in and taking the flights of stairs. I mapped out a route that involves 4 flights of stairs broken up into two flights at a time. Between flights I briskly walk the corridor from one stairwell to the other. On days that I know I have a tight schedule I walk this route prior to starting my work day, I walk it again before going on lunch break and again before leaving the office for the day. This way I get my 30 minutes of aerobic activity completed before I get home.
| Aerobic Activity Resources: |
| Aerobic
exercise: What 30 minutes a day can do for your
body
Aerobic exercise strengthens your heart
and lungs and improves blood flow. Health benefits
are numerous, including disease prevention and management.
Is 30 minutes a day of aerobic exercise the magic
bullet you've been looking for? With benefits ranging
from heart disease prevention to stress reduction,
it's one of the best things you can do for your health.
Aerobic exercise — a type of movement such as
walking or bicycling that gets your heart pumping
and increases your oxygen intake — can help
you live longer and healthier and can help you prevent
and manage chronic health conditions.
Physical Activity for Everyone: Getting Started The victory is not always to the swift, but to those who keep moving. So, you already know that regular physical activity can do great things for your health and well-being. And when you pair that with good nutrition, your body is sure to thank you! But isn't getting started the hardest part? Like any change in your life, knowing where you are and where you're going is important. |
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