Make Exercise More Meaningful

    To be honest I have always been an active person.  I played outside most of the time as a child and was on a little league team by the age of 5.  I swam 3 years in high school and was on the track and field and tennis teams and even swam one year in college.  I have felt that I kind of need to be doing a sport in order to stay active.  Sure sometimes I will go to the gym and take a cycling class or jump on the Arch trainer but that cannot be the only thing I do.  As an adult I have undertaken the sport of triathlon and I have to admit that I really enjoy it.  People look at me like I am a lunatic when I say that I do it because there is the misconception that it’s “hard.”  Honestly as long as you train for it and you at least somewhat enjoy each sport triathlon is great!  I would argue that multi-sports are better than single ones as they get you doing different activities (and since boredom, routine and “regular” exercise are not really my forte it is perfect for me).  I have found that training for my next race is a huge motivator to exercise when I am not feeling up to it.  It also keeps me more focused on my diet as good nutrition is very important for athletic performance.  Whenever I am discussing exercise with someone, this is the advice that I give when deciding what it best for you.

·         Find something that you enjoy.  This seems like a no brainer but you would not believe how many people tell me that they will pick up running only later on to admit that they hate to run.  This is not a wise plan when trying to choose a behavior that fits into your lifestyle FOR LIFE!

·         Try different activities.  This is pretty easy and I highly suggest it to avoid boredom and to find out exactly what it is that you enjoy.  I have tried a number of activities including skiing, ice skating, windsurfing, hiking and dance classes.  The key here is to try new things that at least sound like fun and stick with those that you enjoy the most.

·         Mix it up!  Once you find one thing you like, start looking for others.  Have a plan B activity for those days when you are unable to do your favorite.  Also, mixing up you exercise routine prevents your body from getting too used to the activity.  When we get too used to an activity we need to work harder at it to continue to be challenged.

·         Try out a sport if it is your thing.  Okay so you won’t be joining the high school football team again but look for recreational sports at places like the local YMCA.  You can also train for an upcoming 5K run or 20K bike ride or join a master’s swim class at a local University.

·         Eat like an athlete.  When you decide to become more active it is time to eat more like an athlete.  Starvation dieting will not work if you plan to take on an activity on a regular basis.  Eat enough food and eat plenty of nutrient rich foods (whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes) every day.  Time your meals around your exercise/activity to see what works best for you.

·         Challenge yourself.  This is one really big reason why I do cycling classes and train for triathlon.  Moderate exercise is good but vigorous is important too.  In fact you are likely to feel hungry after moderate exercise but less likely to be hungry after vigorous exercise so push yourself!

·         Don’t forget strength training.  This can be as simple as a $10 workout DVD or as much as a class at your gym.  Building muscle is important for strong bones and a faster metabolism.  Resistance training can also decrease the loss of lean muscle mass if you are losing weight (along with eating plenty of food).

The last most important thing is to find other people who are enjoying your activities.  Exercise is always more fun with other people plus you are more likely to push yourself and each other in a group.  Join a running or cycling club or a hiking meetup group.  Take your family or find a workout buddy to go to the gym with .  Having some support and making it a social activity will increase the likelyhood that you will continue to do it longterm.