Positivity TM Power

For the 23rd consecutive year, I've made a New Year's resolution to get more exercise! It's a hard discipline for me. That's why I appreciate the recent research proving that thirty to forty minutes of brisk walking, three or four times a week has the same cardiovascular benefit as jogging. I imagine all the runners with the bad knees resent this information coming out now, but it sure works better for me. Even on my busiest days, I can usually get in a thirty-minute walk. A mere fifteen minutes of walking or exercise is beneficial too, because the results are cumulative. A recent study shows that the best way to boost metabolism is with moderate short exercises throughout the day. Taking the stairs, parking far away and walking to the store, all count. In the study, one group spent 20-60 minutes vigorously exercising five days a week. The other spent 30 minutes of exercise in their every day lifestyles. At the end of six months, both groups had similar and significant improvement in their cholesterol levels, blood pressures and body fat percentages.

For all generations before us, men and women alike got their exercise from their daily activities. But now we hire people to do that stuff for us-to wash our cars and shovel our snow and rake our leaves and mow our lawns and walk our dogs-so we have time to go to the health club and work out!

A great life balance tool is to incorporate exercise with the priorities of our lives. If your partner is a priority, you can enjoy sports and outdoor activities together, or go dancing! You can get a lot of exercise with your kids by biking, walking, hiking,
swimming, or making snowmen in the back yard. If community service is important, you can clean a trail or lift boxes at the food distribution center or paint a house for Habitat for Humanity.

Exercise not only lowers your risk of heart attacks, diabetes, bone cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis, backaches, high blood pressure, depression and stress, it can increase your family's health and happiness too.

So, will you join me in a 30-minute walk?

Why do strong arms fatigue themselves with frivolous dumbbells? To dig a vineyard is a worthier exercise for men. - Marcus Valerius Martialis (40 AD-103 AD)