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Hard time exercising? Begin by standing up

Lopez, Victor

It’s National Physical Fitness month. Durango is well-known for its athletes and fitness buffs. If you are one of these folks, congratulations! You can quit reading now and go out for a ride or run.

This article is aimed at those who are having some difficulty getting motivated to exercise. I have good news for you: The amount of physical activity needed for great health benefit and improved life span is much less than you might expect. No need to go to the gym or join a sports team; 150 minutes per week of walking is enough to lower the risk of many diseases and prolong your life. A 30-minute walk five days a week will do. Or, for every hour of sitting at your desk or watching television, get up and move for 10 minutes.

The amount of time spent sitting is actually a greater predictor for health problems than the amount or intensity of physical activity.

Why is this so? It is all about your circulation. Blood flow is important to the health of every organ, bringing food and oxygen and carrying away waste. We think of the heart as pumping our blood around, but the contraction of muscles in our lower extremities, such as when walking, helps the heart to circulate the blood.

Why should you care about this? Lack of exercise is a greater risk factor for premature death than overweight or high cholesterol. Physical activity improves not only the length but the quality of your life so you can continue to do the things you enjoy. Exercise is considered the best preventive “drug” for mental disorders, heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Your entire body benefits from exercise:

Brain: increased blood flow boosts capacity for learning and memory and stabilizes moods. Stroke risk is reduced by a third.

Heart: Increase efficiency of the pump, lowers blood pressure and promotes new blood-vessel formation.

Lungs: Increases your lung capacity and ability to get oxygen to your organs.

Muscles: Prevents age-related muscle loss and stores the protein you would need if you became ill.

Bones and joints: Most effective prevention of osteoporosis, and the stronger muscles protect your knees and other joints from damage.

Using a pedometer or phone pedometer app can be a motivator. Though the number can vary depending on your stride and speed, one mile equals approximately 2,000 steps. I suggest initially aiming for 1 to 2 miles or 2,000 to 4,000 steps most days. Would you take a brisk 20-minute walk if you knew it could reduce your risk of premature death by about 30 percent? That is exactly what research has shown.

Here are some tips for including more movement and less sitting in your day:

Get a workout buddy. Make a plan and keep it. Your buddy keeps you accountable and is someone with whom you can make plans, stick to them and celebrate even your small successes.

Set goals – daily, weekly, monthly and beyond. If you only walk one day a week as a start, that’s great. Plan it with your buddy.

Take the stairs instead of an elevator, park at a distance from your destination or ride your bike to do errands.

Take walks after dinner. It’s a great way to digest, enjoy the company of your friends, family, dog or solo time.

The list goes on, but the main point is to get up and move. It could save your life.

Victor Lopez, MD, is the medical director for Axis Health System. He supervises primary-care staff at Cortez Integrated Healthcare, and in Durango, La Plata Integrated Healthcare and two School-Based Integrated Healthcare clinics.



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