Home
Marriage
Parenting
Unity & Crisis
Health
Common Stressors
Retirement
Elder care
The Ultimate Way
Relevant Links
Updates/Articles

[?] Subscribe To This Site

XML RSS
Add to Google
Add to My Yahoo!
Add to My MSN
Subscribe with Bloglines

 

Benefits of exercise for your family

Time pressures often override the benefits of exercise

Bread winners work long hours. Parenting children requires energy and attention. Education is time consuming. Caring for the elderly is draining financially and emotionally. Social activities fill the calendar. Unfortunately, physical fitness ends up taking a back seat. The reasons to exercise are known, but there does not seem to be enough time to squeeze it in. Does this sound like your situation?

Health Sub-catagories:
        Exercise
        Healthy Diet
        Sleep problems
        Impact of stress
        Results of Anger



The importance of exercise

Normal everyday life can produce anger, tension, depression, fatigue, lack of energy, weight gain, and sicknesses of various kinds. A well thought out exercise program can help counteract these common problems. It starts with knowing the benefits of exercise and then overcoming the obstacles.

The following are some benefits of exercise:

  • Better able to deal with life issues.
  • Reduces risk of heart disease.
  • Reduces risk of various kinds of cancer.
  • Reduces and maintains body fat.
  • Builds and tones muscles.
  • Reduces anxiety and stress.
  • Builds confidence.
  • Helps you sleep better.
  • Have a more positive outlook on life.

The importance of exercise should be emphasized no matter your age, physical limitations, or ability. The type and intensity of exercise will vary. It should be consistent and be set at a level that can be maintained. Many people start with good intentions but fall by the wayside.

Getting into a regular pattern of exercise probably won't be convenient and may not always be fun. It is work to push through the discomfort, especially in the beginning. The struggle to get started is one thing.

Other common barriers are:

  • Tight work schedule.
  • Family demands.
  • No encouragement from others to participate. Unimportant to the family.
  • Illness.
  • Weather.
  • Lack of funds.
  • Lack of facilities.
  • Discouragement over lack of progress.
  • Other non-beneficial activities crowd in.
  • Over exercising; fatigue.
  • No set time that is reserved and guarded.


Overcoming barriers for healthy exercise

Encouragement can come from within or from other family members. Some people are self motivated and will take advantage if they have the opportunity. Just knowing the benefits of exercise is a good first step. Others may respond to gentle (or not so gentle) prodding of others.

Seeing the need for a healthy exercise regimen in another family member is one thing. Encouraging them to make changes may not be so easy. The excuses are many. It is easy for one to rationalize away the need or to build a list of roadblocks. There could be denial, thinking - “I am ok the way I am”. There could be a staunch sense of responsibility – “I am taking this responsibility and no one else can do it.”

Assertiveness may be required to break through these issues. You may be the one that needs to fill in for them so that they have a window to break away on a regular basis. At the same time, it is important to make sure that you are not dragged under by the same responsibilities.

Even if there is no one else available to help motivate, it is important to take definite personal responsibility to make healthy exercise a priority. Just losing pounds may be the motivation you need. Having a weight loss motivation still requires attention to being consistent with exercise and diet. How to get motivation is often the toughest step.

Making exercise plans work

It is one thing to say you will do something and quite another to follow through. Making room on a busy schedule is the first step. It may mean cutting back on activities that are less beneficial. It may also require getting help from others to assist with family care needs. Don’t hesitate to ask. Knowing the importance of exercise will help family members make key changes.

Choosing activities that you can share with family and others is also an excellent way to build in a routine. Having others participate with you provides an automatic accountability structure and adds to the enjoyment. Additionally, signing up for an exercise class can provide guidance and improve performance.

Each person needs to find ways to maintain the discipline within themselves. This takes setting goals that are realistic, taking time to plan, scheduling carefully, and staying with it. If the activity is physically too hard, it will be difficult to persevere. Select activities and sports that are within your ability or that you can grow into. For most people moderate exercise is enough. Also, try to pick activities that you enjoy and look forward to. Knowing the benefits of exercise can keep you going.

If this is new to you and you don't know how to exercise properly, there are many free exercise programs available on the internet. Here is a sampling of good free exercise programs that also include physical fitness tips:


Most plans don't require elaborate home exercise equipment and you can do them on your own schedule. However, daily exercise of some kind is best.

Caution...

Back off a little if necessary, but don’t stop. Sometimes the routine may seem more grueling than fun. Don't force workouts to extremes. It will make the recovery longer and create negative feelings toward the activity. Remembering the value of what you are doing is important. Motivation is easier when you keep in mind the positive rewards. For many, the connection of exercise and hypertension is enough encouragement. For others it could be stomach flattening exercises or exercises to lose weight quickly.

Determine what exercise plan fits the family

As mentioned earlier, having activities that the whole family can enjoy is mutually encouraging. This may require setting aside some of your own desires to meet the exercise needs of other family members. The following table shows a cross-section of possible activities, some of which can be shared. The calories burned is approximate and is based on 30 minutes of exercise.

Sampling of exercise options
Exercise Calories Indiv/Family
Light Aerobics 180 I *
Moderate Bicycling 290 F
Dancing 160 I/F
Golf – pulling clubs 150 I/F
Racquetball - casual 250 I/F
Jogging 290 I
Swimming exercise - leisurely 210 I
Tennis – easy play 250 I/F
Walking - leisurely 120 I/F
Yardwork 150+ I/F


* I = Individual, F= Family oriented

Mix in rest and recovery

Exercise should be fun and add to a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes it is carried too far. The goal changes to reaching for higher and higher performance levels. This may cause ”athletes” to push themselves beyond their normal limits. The body is not given a chance to recover. This can lead to excessive fatigue, injury, or sickness. It can also take you away from your family for longer periods of time.

Reevaluate often why you are exercising. Discuss it with your family and friends. Moderate exercise is enough for most of us. Another way to counteract over-extending is to plan for easy workouts during the recovery period. Vary your activities. You might run one day and walk and stretch the next. Pure rest is also good. Just sit down and read a book. Your body has a chance to recover and you will be stronger next time.



Other resources about the benefits of exercise....



Increase Metabolism to Help Lose Weight Quickly
- Learn how to increase your metabolism quickly through the correct exercise. Why does the metabolic rate lower as we lose weight? Find out more information on the human metabolism and how it works and you can lose body fat easier than following those crazy diets!



Medical Health - Get the latest resource about medical and health information.

Diet and Exercise for Health
Diet and exercise plus a little education can help you become and stay healthy. Don't live your life so that medical professionals and drugs are needed to fix you once you're broken.

Quick and Easy Fitness System : Health/Fitness Fitness system that is free, quick and easy.Includes a unique diet and exercise plan. http://www.free-fitness-system.com/





Leaving Exercise Plans | Returning to Health related fitness



Exercise | Healthy Diet | Sleep problems | Impact of stress | Results of Anger

Home | Terms&Conditions | About Us | Site Map | Contact Us

profile counter myspace


footer for benefits of exercise page