{"id":5363,"date":"2016-05-10T08:00:14","date_gmt":"2016-05-10T12:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/?p=5363"},"modified":"2016-05-06T09:02:01","modified_gmt":"2016-05-06T13:02:01","slug":"from-couch-to-pavement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/uncategorized\/from-couch-to-pavement\/","title":{"rendered":"From Couch to Pavement"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5376\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/files\/2016\/05\/Starting-Line.png\" alt=\"Starting Line\" width=\"517\" height=\"354\" srcset=\"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/files\/2016\/05\/Starting-Line.png 517w, http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/files\/2016\/05\/Starting-Line-350x240.png 350w, http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/files\/2016\/05\/Starting-Line-438x300.png 438w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 517px) 100vw, 517px\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>LET&#8217;S\u00a0MOVE &#8230;WHAT ARE\u00a0WE WAITING FOR?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We all know exercise is good for us. What steps have you taken to live a more active life? Are you sitting on the couch waiting for someone to motivate you to get up?\u00a0 Do you tell yourself, \u201cTomorrow I\u2019m going to get healthy\u201d? Or is it more like, \u201cI wish I could fit into the clothes I love, but I don\u2019t know how to make that happen?\u201d We\u2019ve all heard \u201cIt\u2019s never too late!\u201d or \u201cAnyone can do it.\u201d And guess what? It\u2019s true! If you don\u2019t know where to start, don\u2019t know how to fit in fitness or feel overwhelmed with life\u2019s daily tasks, take heart!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Address Your Obstacles<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>\u201cI\u2019m so busy. I just don\u2019t have time!\u201d <\/strong>Many Americans live with a packed schedule. You can make your health a priority over life\u2019s other demands. Even our nation\u2019s president sets aside time to exercise! You don\u2019t have to do your whole workout all at once. Get up 30 minutes earlier in the morning to take a brisk walk, or tack on an extra 30 minutes in the afternoon or evening to raise your heart rate with strength training. You can exercise in two or three 10-15 minute blocks and still benefit!<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u201cI can\u2019t afford a gym membership.\u201d <\/strong>Walking is free! If it\u2019s cold or rainy, head to one of the many shopping malls that open their doors early for walkers and joggers. Sometimes gyms run specials. Watch for these at the beginning or end of the year. Or consider buying some workout DVDs or borrowing them from the library. You can even download exercise podcasts. Whatever you choose, find a way to start moving! Get started with these <span style=\"color: #000000\"><a style=\"color: #000000\" href=\"http:\/\/www.heart.org\/HEARTORG\/HealthyLiving\/PhysicalActivity\/GettingActive\/Getting-Started---Tips-for-Long-term-Exercise-Success_UCM_307979_Article.jsp\" class=\"broken_link\">tips for long-term success<\/a><\/span>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u201cI got bored with my workout routine.\u201d <\/strong>Try something new! There are so many ways to get active. Try tennis with some friends, soccer with your kids or even just switching from yoga to pilates. Your body will respond to the change, and you might notice firmer muscles or extra pounds melting off. Regardless, variety helps you stay more invested in living an active life.<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u201cI feel too tired after a workout.\u201d <\/strong>Chronic fatigue with exertion can signal a problem, but if your healthcare provider clears you for exercise, you may just need to pace yourself better. Walk before trying to jog. You may want to consider other energy-boosting plans, too.\n<ul>\n<li><em>Are you pacing yourself and keeping your heart rate at the right level?<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Are you getting enough sleep at night?<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Are you eating\u00a0what fuels your body\u00a0or are you eating too much food that your body can\u2019t use?<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u201cI don\u2019t like working out alone.\u201d <\/strong>This is a common complaint that\u2019s easy to fix. <span style=\"color: #000000\"><a style=\"color: #000000\" href=\"http:\/\/www.heart.org\/HEARTORG\/HealthyLiving\/PhysicalActivity\/StayingMotivatedforFitness\/Dont-Work-Out-Alone---Fitness-Peer-Support_UCM_462207_Article.jsp\" class=\"broken_link\">Find a buddy<\/a><\/span>! Get a walking partner or\u00a0introduce yourself to someone at the gym, join a team or a walking group, find a neighbor to walk with or exercise with your family. When you exercise in pairs, it\u2019s easier to hold each other accountable \u2013 especially on those cold, rainy days! You can also listen to audiobooks or your favorite music on days when no one is available to join you.<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u201cI\u2019m too young\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m too old.\u201d <\/strong>Neither excuse is true. When you\u2019re in your 20s and 30s, it\u2019s important to regulate your body\u2019s metabolism, strengthen your heart and prevent diseases. When you\u2019re older, exercise plays a vital role in keeping you healthy and strong. Several studies document how regular exercise improves quality of life during the aging process. So if you\u2019re exercising when you\u2019re in your 80s, you just might feel like you\u2019re in your 70&#8217;s!<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u201cI\u2019m new to exercise,\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m overweight and I don\u2019t know where to start.\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0Is this you? It\u2019s easy to use these excuses as mental roadblocks to success. Don\u2019t let them stop you. Everyone needs to start somewhere.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Here are some steps to help get you started.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Assess yourself.<\/strong> Realistically, what can you do?<strong>There\u2019s no good excuse for denying yourself a healthier life!<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Can you walk a mile? How long does it take you?<\/li>\n<li>Can you continue to walk at a brisk pace for 20 minutes?\u00a0For 30 minutes?<\/li>\n<li>Can you swim one lap?<\/li>\n<li>How many push-ups can you do?<\/li>\n<li>Can you bend down and touch your toes?<strong>Your starting point is always based on what you can do!<\/strong>\u00a0Try\u00a0tracking your activity\u00a0and look at it as a place to start and build up more as you are able.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Add on gradually.\u00a0<\/strong>Gradually increase your workouts by setting goals. If you can walk 1 \u00bd miles in 30 minutes, your pace is\u00a0three miles an hour. You can train your heart to handle a faster-paced walk using intervals. For example, every five minutes, try pushing yourself to walk one minute at a faster pace. Before you know it, the faster pace will be your new normal. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate activity each week (brisk walking, for example). Cardio exercise burns calories and benefits your heart and lungs.\u00a0Strength training with weights or resistance bands is also recommended\u00a0two to three\u00a0times a week. Strength training builds muscle which, in turn, burns fat and helps your muscles and joints stay healthy for a long, physically active life.\u00a0A combination of these two types of exercise is important for good health.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Many reliable resources are available to help <\/strong>you get started. Books, DVDs, podcasts and personal trainers are a few examples.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Are you still sitting on the couch? Put on your shoes and move your body! Turn on your favorite music and dance. Today is the day to start on the road to better health. Remember, it\u2019s OK to start slowly and build up to your goal.<\/p>\n<p>http:\/\/www.heart.org\/HEARTORG\/HealthyLiving\/PhysicalActivity\/GettingActive\/From-the-Couch-to-the-Pavement&#8212;A-Plan-to-Get-You-Moving_UCM_425106_Article.jsp#.Vytj0ssUWM9<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>LET&#8217;S\u00a0MOVE &#8230;WHAT ARE\u00a0WE WAITING FOR? We all know exercise is good for us. What steps have you taken to live a more active life? Are you sitting on the couch waiting for someone to motivate you to get up?\u00a0 Do &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/uncategorized\/from-couch-to-pavement\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9193321,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5363","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paB9fc-1ov","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5363","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9193321"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5363"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5363\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5381,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5363\/revisions\/5381"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5363"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5363"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/healthyhorizons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5363"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}