Don’t Just Sit There!

It takes a little (okay, sometimes more than a little) effort to get up off of the couch or pull yourself away from the computer long enough to find your tennis shoes and head out for a walk.  So, what’s the worst that can happen if you don’t get in regular exercise?

Physical inactivity may be a deadly as smoking! A study at Harvard University estimates that as many as 5.3 million deaths around the world in a single year could be directly attributed to lack of physical activity.  The World Health Organization has ranked inactivity as the 4th major risk   factor in personal health.  It falls right behind high blood pressure, tobacco use and high cholesterol.  Approximately 41% of Americans do not get enough exercise! Are you one of them?

James Levine, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic supports what Dr. Clark has told you. “We know that as soon as somebody gets out of their chair, their blood sugar improves, their blood cholesterol and triglycerides improve, and that’s very consistent. Every time you get up it gets better. Every time you sit down it gets worse.”

One way to keep track of your activity is to wear your pedometer.  Your goal of 10,000 steps a day will keep you moving.  Challenge yourself by increasing the pace as well.  See if you can get 3,000 steps in a 30 minute walk.

Think of inactivity as an infectious disease—what can you do to prevent it? Your muscles and cardiovascular system need to be used to remain effective.  30 minutes a day with a minimum of 150 minutes of activity a week is suggested. 30 minutes a day seems like a great investment in your long term health. So get up & get moving!

Fitness Notes~

As the amount of daylight hours gets shorter, the type of activity you choose may change.  Change can be good!  We offer a great variety of exercise classes that are part of any WMU™ program and optional fitness center memberships are only $29 a month.