Exercise is something you should do but don’t or don’t do enough of it regularly.  People often feel guilty or worse rebellious.  They stay in the state of pre-contemplation with the attitude of either “I can’t” or “I won’t”. Only 3 out of 10 Americans get any exercise regularly. Mostly we think about it, get over whelmed and don’t do it. Some of us think about it, wish we could, and then there on TV is an infomercial about a product - the butt/abs/whamydiddle guaranteed to make you look like your favorite movie star in less than 10 minutes a week. Now if your favorite movie star isn’t lying, they are working out with a personal trainer  2 hours a day and have a personal chef fix them just the right things to eat in order for them to look that way (not to mention their plastic surgeon). I recently saw someone who bought just the thing and got hurt by using it much more than recommended. The old “if a little is good, a lot is better” mind set. This type of exercise is aimed at one thing - LOOKING BETTER NAKED!

I even have a course with the name Recipe to Look Better Naked.  I called it that because everyone gets out of their comfort zone to do just one thing - Look Better.  A few people, the minority, do it because it is good for them. How about making exercise easier and more fun.

Harvard Health letter recently sent me an email about 10 reasons to work your body. Here are a few. You can check the Harvard Healthbeat site if you want to read them all. It is good to exercise regularly because, it lowers blood pressure, It reduces your risk of heart disease, diabetes and many cancers, boosts your immune system and adds years to your life.

Those are pretty good. The more fit you are, the better you look too. When you are fit and trim you look younger. But how are you to start and keep it up? Your motto should be, Start Low and Go Slow.  If you haven’t done much in a while, just get moving.  Do some balance exercises, stand on one foot during a commercial. Get a swiss ball - you know the kind - one of those big blue balls and just sit on it while a commercial is on or put it near a good light and read but maintain your posture. Tighten your ab muscles and your quads (the muscles on the front of your thighs) while sitting at a stop light. Tighten your butt muscles at the next one hard for 5 seconds 10 times. Act like a kid, walk a line heel to toe for a block or two, skip for a block or walk backwards in a safe place. Just start doing something for 10 commercials a day or for 10 minutes of your lunch time or any time you can regularly work into your schedule.

On my blog I have lots of references to products, especially books. Look in the category recommended products for them. I really like Richard Bradley’s book Quick Fit. Look at your time, and remove your excuses. Go to bed earlier, get more sleep and do something during commercial breaks. This is not to get you into Olympic condition, it is to get you into the habit of thinking about your health and wellness and taking possession of and responsibility for your body.

I would love to hear from you, leave me a comment. What is the most fun thing you do that you can call exercise? How long have you been doing it? I had an ER Medical Director that had run everyday for 15 straight years. He had tried treadmills but he burned them up. What do you do? Share some of your wisdom and discoveries with us.

While you are here, sign up to receive this blog’s articles or posts via email. The sign up form is to the right.  I am thinking of holding a contest for the most referrals from 1 Jun 09 to 1 Dec 09.  What do you think I should give away? What would motivate you?  I am thinking an iPod touch for the most over 30 and some books or subscriptions like 3 months of Shrink Yourself for anyone who refers more than 20 and a gift certificate for anyone over 10.  What do you think of these ideas?

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