Bodytalk
Question: Do you have some tips on how I can fit regular exercise into my very busy life? Regular exercise
importantAnswer: Being physically inactive is nearly as damaging to your health as smoking cigarettes.
So why then aren't more Americans exercising?
Most people would answer by saying exercise is too time-consuming, it's no fun, or even that it's impractical to start.
Also, people think they don't have the energy to exercise, which is paradoxical, since exercise increases a person's energy.
First realize you owe it to yourself to be as healthy as you can be, and committing to an active lifestyle is an important part of your overall commitment to your health.
>> Set short-term goals to start with, then after a while you can think about long-term ones. For example, a short-term goal might be to walk briskly for 10 minutes four or five times a week, and a long-term goal could be to lose weight.Q: I'm a middle-aged male. Am I at risk for osteoporosis? I haven't heard anything about osteoporosis and the older man.>> Schedule your workouts and stick to your schedule. Don't assume you'll naturally fit exercise in.
>> Don't beat yourself up if you miss a workout. One missed workout shouldn't spiral into a week of missed routines.
>> Pick a form of exercise that you like. If you don't like any kind of exercise, experiment and find the ones you dislike the least.
>> Be prepared to be spontaneous. It's okay to exercise on the spur of the moment.
>> Make exercising convenient. Have equipment on hand, have your running shoes ready, or find a gym near to where you live or work.
>> Exercise with a friend. People motivate each other.
>> Use every opportunity to be active. Use the stairs instead of the escalator. Park at the outer edges of the mall parking lot and walk to and from your car. Start a physical hobby that you like. Participate in the weekend volleyball game at the beach. Start thinking of household chores as a way to exercise. Or learn a new sport.
>> Finally, give yourself a few weeks to develop a routine that you feel comfortable doing. Believe me, the wait is worth it.
A: Women are more concerned about osteoporosis, because they are four times as likely as men to develop this disease later in life.
Even so, about 5 million men in the U.S. have osteoporosis.
To make sure you don't join that number, get plenty of calcium in your diet.
Men aged 25 to 65 should be getting 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day. Men over 65 should take in 1,500 milligrams per day.
Lifting weights two to four times a week helps to maintain and even rebuild bone mass.
Other key factors in preventing osteoporosis are:
>> Limit red meat to 3 or 4 ounces, 3 or 4 times per month at most.>> Limit soft drinks to 1 or 2 per month.
>> Stop smoking.
>> Restrict alcohol consumption.
Stephenie Karony is a certified health and fitness instructor,
a personal trainer and author of "Body Shaping With Free Weights.''
Send questions to bodytalk@maui.net or visit http://www.BodyTalkForHealth.com.Health Events