Your exercise tip – What if I don’t like exercising?
Getting past the mindset that you do not like exercise (or may even hate it) can be a tough challenge, especially if you really do want to be fit and healthier. Knowing why you don’t like exercise can be a key factor to changing that mindset, as well as trying other activities that don’t feel like exercise but really are.
Your perception of exercise will usually come from an experience you have had or from the way you feel about yourself. Common theories are that people have experienced pain when exercising in the past, may have had a bad experience in an exercise environment, or you may just be too embarrassed to get out into that environment due to how you feel about themselves. These are hurdles that can be overcome by finding an individual approach to surmount them.
Some suggestions that are exercising but not exercising are:
- Go for a stroll with friends through our beautiful parks.
- Get out into your garden regularly – don’t be scared to get dirty.
- Relax and listen to some music in a quite environment and stretch.
- Lastly, play with your children or grandchildren – they will keep you young and healthy.
Your health tip – Water – the oil for your body?
Regularly we see the advertising and health channels talking to us about drinking water due to its importance to the body, but why do we need to have it?
Our body is always trying to maintain a balance (what is called homeostasis) where all the systems are working in the ideal parameters for good health. Regularly drinking water helps maintain all these processes. It is estimated that we lose approximately 4% of our body weight in fluid each day. To replenish this, men need 2600mls and women need 2100ml per day (approximately), without extra for climate conditions and activity levels.
An analogy to explain water and the body is to think of oil in the motor of your car. If the oil level runs low or dry, the motor of your car is going to sustain damage or in the least, run poorly.
Exercise of the week
This week we are covering an exercise with impact to help bone strength and balance, called the single leg squat into a hop. This exercise will promote bone density via the impact, forcing it to lay down those reinforcement materials. It has the added benefit of activating and strengthening the smaller muscle in our joints in a dynamic fashion. Tips for this exercise are:
- Take the exercise slowly to start off, beginning with only small jumps.
- Before jumping onto the opposite leg, pause and catch your balance. If you are moving uncontrollably, you risk injuring yourself.
- If you find it easy with the eyes open, close them and see how you go.
- If it hurts, stop.
Your life tip
Try your best not to take rejection personally. We are creatures that want company, but we will not get along with everyone in life – that is a fact.
This week’s wise words
As long as I am facing the right direction, it does not matter
how small the steps.
Have a great week and keep healthy in 2017. David.