Fitness 3 Ways

By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

When you think of “exercise” or “fitness” what comes to mind? A sweaty workout, leaving you exhausted? Think again! An active lifestyle comes in many forms. What’s known as “activity of daily living” is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. It’s the day-to-day steps we take throughout the day that make us “mindful movers”. I’m sure you’re already doing a lot of these simple activities: taking the stairs, parking further away from your destination, or carrying grocery bags.

For all of you beginners out there, getting at least 20-40 minutes of daily brisk walking is the best cardio goal to work towards. Even 5-10 minutes at a time, repeated several times during the day, is a big health boost. And it’s important to aim for “most days” – meaning at least 5-6 days a week. Consistency counts.

But don’t think you’re “done” if you’re already doing the “cardio” part of physical activity. That’s a great starting point to expand your fitness profile to the other two pillars of fitness: strength training and flexibility.

Improving muscle strength with weights supports bone health, improves your body core (abs and back) and can helps with weight control. Just twice weekly can help round out any fitness plan; make sure to seek the help of a certified trainer or exercise physiologist to get started and avoid injury; plus setting up a plan you can do on your own.

One way to quickly assess your flexibility is your ability to touch your toes, without bending your legs. Flexibility is important – a key part of overall fitness throughout your body. Stretching is a good place to start, but activities like yoga and tai chi can also help. And the goal is to feel loose and relaxed – not to turn into a human pretzel!

It’s not easy to build in extra time for this activity triad. The bottom line: just do your best to increase fitness – in any of these 3 areas - using activities you enjoy.

And always check with your doctor before starting or boosting an exercise plan.