McMinnville Seventh-day Adventist Church

E is for Exercise

It’s the greatest feeling in the world: feet pounding the pavement, chest heaving and heart beating as your cells cry for oxygen, sweat pouring in a cleansing flood, every joint crying for mercy. What could be more rewarding? Are you kidding me?!?

I admit it. I hate exercising. I love how I feel after it’s over and I have recovered, but I don’t like the process. I just haven’t figured out how to improve, or even maintain, my health without exercise. The human body requires it to control metabolism and strengthen organs. If we don’t comply, soon our bodies will not only fail, we will start gaining weight on 500 calories a day. I don’t know about you, but I really like to eat more than that. So I have resigned myself to the fact that I have to exercise. Argh!

I had to figure out how I could exercise so that I reaped the benefits without feeling like I just came from a torture session on the rack. I am about to share with you my tricks of the trade.*

There are many categories of exercise; everyone, even the most physically challenged, can exercise in some way. I am only going to talk about two kinds here: strengthening and aerobic.

We usually think weight training belongs to body-builders. However, careful weight training or strengthening exercises are especially important for aging bodies. At the Mayo Clinic web site (www.mayoclinic.com/health/strength-training/MY00033) you can view free videos on strength training. Some of these exercises require no equipment, but I’d suggest beginning with the dumbbell videos. Adding just one new strengthening exercise a week effectively augments your aerobic exercise plan.

Aerobic exercise is the most essential type. By definition, it’s anything that raises and sustains your heart rate to your target level (THR), which is determined by a simple math calculation: 220 minus your age (AR) multiplied by 0.60 to 0.85. Multiplying by 0.60 to 0.79 will give you the THR range for weight loss. Multiplying by 0.8 to 0.85 is the THR range for News & Notes from the McMinnville Seventh-day Adventist Church muscle building.

Before you can effectively use your THR, you need to know how to take your pulse. This can be done at your wrist or neck and, with practice, is easy to do. An alternative to manual pulse monitoring is an electronic heart monitor, usually worn on your wrist, that will beep when you are not in your target zone.

When people ask which exercise is best, I suggest choosing an activity you like that raises and sustains your pulse – you’re more likely to stick with something you like. We are all limited in some way by our resources, but most of us have feet, so I use running as my example here. However, these principles can be used for any activity you choose.

I don’t want to exercise any harder than necessary, and there is nothing worse than being sore the next few days. No matter what anyone tells you, there is no reason for muscle soreness or failure of your program due to such. Start with just ten minutes a day, four to five times a week, at a slow pace. Add five minutes each week. Remember, this is a year-long resolution. Our culture of instant gratification just isn’t going to cut it here. Once you are up to the maximum time allotted by your lifestyle (1/2 hour minimum, but an hour is better), pick up the pace. Your muscles will only be sore if you overdo.

If you can’t afford a heart monitor to help you pace yourself without overdoing, use the following technique. Any activity requires correct form to avoid joint pain or injury. When walking, jogging, or running, suck in your gut (universally required for any exercise) and roll your foot smoothly from heel to toe, slightly avoiding stress on the arch, and pushing off gently with your toes. The minute you are too tired to think about and maintain good form, it’s time to back off and walk until you are rested enough to start again with good form. Just don’t forget to get back up to pace ASAP. Using this method, your effort increases only when your body tells you it’s ready, which decreases unnecessary muscle soreness and joint pain and prevents a myriad of injuries sustained by determined go-getters. Your body is your best guide.

To avoid plateaus, you need to learn your resting heart rate. After you awaken in the morning, before getting out of bed, take your pulse. This resting rate will drop about one month after beginning a serious and consistent exercise program – just about the time most people plateau. Your resting heart rate was 75 and your THR 135. That’s a 60-point gap. But as you get in shape, your resting heart rate may now be 60. Your resting-to-active differential just increased fifteen beats. If you work at your same level of activity, your program takes a relative “downturn.” To get your heart rate up to the same level as before you have to work harder. Most people don’t check their resting rate, so they don’t pick up on this gap. When they hit a plateau, they cut calories, the worst thing to do for a plateau. Monitor resting and active heart rates, and exercise harder when a plateau tells you that your body is ready for more. And remember, exercise increases your metabolism not only when active but 24 hours a day!

Aerobic exercise, whether at the weight loss or muscle building level, is essential for your brain, thyroid, kidneys, digestive tract from top to bottom, reproductive organs, hormones, electrolytes, red blood cells, brain, and everything else. Good health principles with a good exercise program can arrest adult onset diabetes, heart disease, and many other ailments that kill or maim people.

*Always consult your physician before beginning a new exercise program.