Exercise
Exercise is a proven stress reducer, both physically and mentally.
However, if you are not currently exercising, it is important to take
baby steps to add exercise into your routine. It is best to start out
exercising three days a week, for maybe ten to fifteen minutes a
session. To increase your exercise, remember to apply the F.I.T.T.
principle, frequency, intensity, time of exercise and type of exercise.
There are many types of exercise, some of which include swimming, walking, yoga. If you enjoy exercising with others, it can be fun to take a class, making it more of a social event. It is important that you pick an activity that you enjoy, as it will increase the likelihood that you will stick with it. Remember that dancing, gardening and increasing the number of steps you take each day count as exercise as well.
If fitting exercise into your daily life is a problem, it can be helpful to schedule in your exercise. On Sunday night, decide what days you will exercise for the week, and write it in your planner. People who plan exercise in advance are much more likely to actually exercise. After you exercise, make notes in your planner, what you did, how long you did it, and your thoughts and feelings about the exercise. At the end of the week, total up your minutes spent exercising, and give yourself a big pat on the back!
Remember that change is a process, and as such, you may not succeed right away. In addition, there are always bumps in the road. Everyone has a week where they are unable to exercise, but what is important is that you return to exercise. As you work on making exercise part of your life, and finding an activity you enjoy, the greater likelihood that exercise will become a permanent part of your life.
Here are two links for excellent sites that have great information
about adding exercise to your life: (womenshealth.gov has great
information for both men and women. They have a challenge until
the 4th of July--a great opportunity to incorporate exercise into your
life!)
America on the Move
