by Phillip Day
"If God had intended us to be nudists, we would have been born with no clothes on.’ – Leonard Lyons
Most people don’t - exercise, I mean. Rubbish food coupled with indolent, acidic lifestyles punctuated by unhealthy stress all seem a far cry from the farm-fresh produce and yomps on the Downs enjoyed by some of our forebears. The fact is, though times have moved on, the body’s needs for nourishment and exercise have not. If we don’t meet them, let us expect trouble. The first thing is make a commitment to change lifestyle to include some exercise every day.
I’m supposed to tell you here to consult a doctor before commencing any exercise regimen(!)
Warming up: If you are new to exercise, work up to walking 10,000 brisk steps a day. For a couple of quid you can get a plastic pedometer from a sports store to clip onto your belt. Doing nothing all day but shuffling around in your pyjamas will clock up 3,800 steps (In the name of research, I measured it three days in a row). 10,000 steps a day put a progressive load onto your muscle and cardio systems and ensure you stay well-oiled and piped. Climb stairs whenever you can. If you own a dog, walkies are as much for your benefit! Next…
Move! Once you’re walking easily, exercise at least 20 minutes a day with your heart rate up around 70% of your maximum (max rate = 220 minus your age for females, 226 for males). Swimming, cycling, rowing, stair-climbing and hill-climbing are all good for this – start slowly and work into it. The right level of exertion is when you’re slightly out of breath while talking. Every once in a while, try going all out with intensity until your false teeth fly out of your head. Also:
Load-bearing exercise: The dreaded weight-training, push-ups, knee bends, squats and stair-climbing are all resistance moves that prevent the muscles and skeleton from atrophy. These movements pump the lymph system and help clean you out. Weight-training can be done by all ages, though kids under ten are better off with the usual chores, slavery and play until the body matures in its middle teens. Serious muscle builders, it’s all about intensity and rest. Log onto www.precisiontraining.com. Don’t forget:
60-90 minutes a day spent outside. The body requires sunlight and fresh air to manufacture Vitamin D and catalyse other reactions. Solar radiation penetrates even that lead blanket over Kent, so don’t think of using weather as an excuse for indolence unless you live in New Orleans.
Motivation
Exercise is hard for many because exercise equals pain and the brain moves away from pain toward pleasure as part of the survival response. ‘No pain, no gain’ results in thousands of gym memberships being paid for and never used. Nike’s famous slogan ‘Just Do It!’, frankly, for most people didn’t. Why? ‘No pain, no gain.’ We like the idea of what exercise can do for us, it’s just the grunting and heavy-breathing part most of us have a problem with.
Shift Your Focus
Don’t call it exercise – play! Re-label and shift your focus. Get involved in a hobby that combines exercise with fun: walking, gardening, cycling, swimming. I like exploring battlefields and historical sites, so climbing mottes and nodding at baileys gets me all hot and bothered. Orienteering, rollerblading and fell-walking are great but if you’re getting on a bit, gardening, sponsored walks, swimming, cycling and invading France were all enjoyed by your ancestors forebears.
· Exercising is easy if you’re having fun (play)
· Remember: You are the sum total of everything you’ve ever done to yourself
· Don’t overlook exercise
FOR AN ACTION-PACKED BOOKLET, READ
THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO EXERCISE
by Phillip Day
"If God had intended us to be nudists, we would have been born with no clothes on.’ – Leonard Lyons
Most people don’t - exercise, I mean. Rubbish food coupled with indolent, acidic lifestyles punctuated by unhealthy stress all seem a far cry from the farm-fresh produce and yomps on the Downs enjoyed by some of our forebears. The fact is, though times have moved on, the body’s needs for nourishment and exercise have not. If we don’t meet them, let us expect trouble. The first thing is make a commitment to change lifestyle to include some exercise every day.
I’m supposed to tell you here to consult a doctor before commencing any exercise regimen(!)
Warming up: If you are new to exercise, work up to walking 10,000 brisk steps a day. For a couple of quid you can get a plastic pedometer from a sports store to clip onto your belt. Doing nothing all day but shuffling around in your pyjamas will clock up 3,800 steps (In the name of research, I measured it three days in a row). 10,000 steps a day put a progressive load onto your muscle and cardio systems and ensure you stay well-oiled and piped. Climb stairs whenever you can. If you own a dog, walkies are as much for your benefit! Next…
Move! Once you’re walking easily, exercise at least 20 minutes a day with your heart rate up around 70% of your maximum (max rate = 220 minus your age for females, 226 for males). Swimming, cycling, rowing, stair-climbing and hill-climbing are all good for this – start slowly and work into it. The right level of exertion is when you’re slightly out of breath while talking. Every once in a while, try going all out with intensity until your false teeth fly out of your head. Also:
Load-bearing exercise: The dreaded weight-training, push-ups, knee bends, squats and stair-climbing are all resistance moves that prevent the muscles and skeleton from atrophy. These movements pump the lymph system and help clean you out. Weight-training can be done by all ages, though kids under ten are better off with the usual chores, slavery and play until the body matures in its middle teens. Serious muscle builders, it’s all about intensity and rest. Log onto www.precisiontraining.com. Don’t forget:
60-90 minutes a day spent outside. The body requires sunlight and fresh air to manufacture Vitamin D and catalyse other reactions. Solar radiation penetrates even that lead blanket over Kent, so don’t think of using weather as an excuse for indolence unless you live in New Orleans.
Motivation
Exercise is hard for many because exercise equals pain and the brain moves away from pain toward pleasure as part of the survival response. ‘No pain, no gain’ results in thousands of gym memberships being paid for and never used. Nike’s famous slogan ‘Just Do It!’, frankly, for most people didn’t. Why? ‘No pain, no gain.’ We like the idea of what exercise can do for us, it’s just the grunting and heavy-breathing part most of us have a problem with.
Shift Your Focus
Don’t call it exercise – play! Re-label and shift your focus. Get involved in a hobby that combines exercise with fun: walking, gardening, cycling, swimming. I like exploring battlefields and historical sites, so climbing mottes and nodding at baileys gets me all hot and bothered. Orienteering, rollerblading and fell-walking are great but if you’re getting on a bit, gardening, sponsored walks, swimming, cycling and invading France were all enjoyed by your ancestors forebears.
· Exercising is easy if you’re having fun (play)
· Remember: You are the sum total of everything you’ve ever done to yourself
· Don’t overlook exercise
FOR AN ACTION-PACKED BOOKLET, READ
THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO EXERCISE
by Phillip Day
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