Stay healthy, Stay fit

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve written New Year to-do lists for health and wellness. But I assure you, it’s more than I care to count. Some people probably put the information to good use while others read it and thought, “maybe next year.” Whatever the case may be, I’m not giving up! Here’s a little sound advice when it comes to cardio…you know, that whole “moving” thing.

1. Get off yourself.
   Did you realize there’s a whole new area of study called inactivity physiology? Seriously! We created an entire science based on our laziness. Thankfully, there’s a remedy. The plan is to sit less, which essentially equates to moving more. Pretty simple, especially when you consider that even standing has benefits over sitting. So for crying’ out loud, get up!
2. Get movin’ and don’t stop.
   Ok, so you’re up. Thank you! Now you should actually start moving your body because a significant portion of your total daily caloric expenditure (think “calories burned”) comes in the form of non-exercise activity. In other words, how much food you should eat on a daily basis is, in large part, determined by how much activity you engage in OUTSIDE of actual exercise.
3. Time to get fit.
   So we have you walking, taking the stairs, spending less time in front of the TV—all good! Now, let’s get you working out by doing a bit of cardio. Why cardio, you ask? Well, the most important muscle in your body is not your biceps, it’s your heart. Make it a point to move, with the primary goal of improving fitness, especially since the World Health Organization claims that physical inactivity causes more deaths than overweight and obesity. Think about that…

We know cardio is important, but one big question remains—what should you do specifically? It really depends on what your current fitness level is, but here are a few options for those of you that fall somewhere between couch potato and occasional gym-goer.

Beginner Workout

If you lead a very sedentary lifestyle (little to no physical activity), then walk, bike, or use the elliptical for 5, 10, 15 minutes…whatever you can reasonably do at a comfortable pace without falling off. We’re trying to build you up, not kill you.

Once you can do 20 consecutive minutes of your favorite machine, try other machines. If you’ve become a master of the elliptical, give the bike a try. It will be different and challenging, but that’s the whole point.

Intermediate Workout

After building up a decent cardio base, it’s time to start adding in some intervals. Intervals are simply short bursts of higher intensity exercise followed by longer recovery periods at a lower intensity. Try something like this on the treadmill:

• 5-minute warm-up (fast walk)
• 1 minute jog followed by 3 minutes of moderate walking (repeat for 5 sets—a total of 20 minutes)
• 5-minute cool-down (fast walk)

Remember, the more you move, the more you’ll want to move. And people continually seek out more intense activity as their bodies adapt. The same will be true for you, so start 2012 with your own personal “movement.”