4 - Get Moving - Pure Healthy Solutions

Get better health numbers with exercise.

If you’re working on improving your health numbers, here are a few tips on how to get started with exercise.

Exercise means different things to different people. Some people enjoy it and others view exercise as a chore - another item on the never-ending to-do list.

Here's the thing: if you want to improve your health numbers (or make sure they stay in the "good" range) exercise should be at the top of your list.

If your healthcare provider has cleared you to begin exercising to improve your health numbers, here are a few tips on how to get started and keep up your momentum. You'll see the benefits of exercise sooner than you think.

Exercise really works to get better numbers.

In addition to releasing feel-good hormones, exercise will drive down triglycerides (one of the cholesterol components) and bring your “good cholesterol” (HDL) into a healthy range. "Exercise is most effective to reduce triglycerides", according to Exercise is Medicine, a global health initiative managed by the American College of Sports Medicine.

Exercise reduces your risk of high blood pressure and stroke. If you have high blood pressure, exercise helps to lower blood pressure too. The Mayo Clinic says studies show blood pressure lowers after 1 to 3 months, as long as you continue to exercise.

Improvement in blood sugar elevation are evident with regular exercise. In The Role of Exercise in Diabetes, the authors state, "Exercise is a key component to lifestyle therapy for prevention and treatment of diabetes."

If you have diabetes, be sure to let your healthcare provider know if you plan to start exercising. Your medications may need to be adjusted and your glucose levels more closely monitored. Be prepared and check your blood sugar as directed by your provider. Have appropriate treatment readily available to manage changes, especially when beginning exercise.

Do you feel better when you're more active?

If you said "yes", it's because your neurohormonal pathways release endorphins, the feel-good hormones, when you exercise.

Exercise is the fastest way to improve your mood!

A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) shows regular exercise – especially cardio – can be just as effective for some people as antidepressants when it comes to increasing their feel-good hormones.

While this is good news, do not stop taking medications or substitute exercise for any condition on your own. Talk to your healthcare provider about exercise for improving mood.

How to get started exercising

It may have been a while since you’ve done regular daily, so what’s the best way to restart?

A minimum of 150 minutes per week is recommended for adults by the American Heart Association. On average, that is about 20 minutes per day. Keep in mind this is the minimum and, in this case, more is better. Most experts agree that between 150 and 300 minutes or more every week is best (WHO).

Gradually introduce movement by beginning slowly and incrementally increase the length of time you exercise. Start with a 5-10 minute walk after dinner tonight.

Get the benefits of exercise by starting with a small shift in your activity AND choose an activity that you enjoy!

Follow these suggestions when first beginning with exercise:

1. Add more activity into your daily routine. Every little bit counts. Just move your body!

Have you tried dancing? Even if you aren’t particularly graceful, taking a dance break is a fun way to get moving. Turn the music up (use headphones if you have neighbors) and shake loose!

2. Dancing not your thing? If you have the space in your day, you could schedule a quick walk either during your lunch break or, even better yet, first thing in the morning.

3. Could you get up 15 to 30 minutes earlier and get your exercise in before you have a chance to talk yourself out of it?

Set your environment up for success.

Get your workout clothes out tonight, before you turn in, so they're the first thing you see in the morning.

Try exercising in the morning and see how much more energy and clarity you have throughout the day!

The key is to start with something. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.

Now, TAKE ACTION!

Have you thought of at least one idea to be more active? Start a list of things you could do to get more movement into your day. Set a goal to make exercise a priority.

Do you know you’ll be 42% more successful in reaching your goals by writing them down?

Another way to add momentum to your goals is to share them.

Experts agree that sharing your goals selectively with a trusted friend or mentor increases your chances of success.

A health coach can serve as an accountability partner. Coaches are trained to guide you to reach your goals by providing strategies to help you succeed.

Share your goals with me here. I look forward to hearing from you!

How to write powerful goals.

Few people do this, but there is incredible power in simply writing your goal down. More often, we do more thinking than doing. And when we start doing, we lose steam after a short time.

It’s as if your brain says, "Look, if you don’t have enough effort to write these down, I’m not going to take them seriously".

When you write your goals down, your subconscious mind begins to look for ways to make things happen, but if you only think about them, those thoughts tend to come and go.

It’s a much more powerful experience when you write your goals down.

In fact, research at Dominican University by Dr. Gayle Mathews found that if you write your goals down and do nothing else, that action alone increases the likelihood of achieving that goal by 42%! So why wouldn’t you write them down?

When you write down your goals, you’re taking the first step toward bringing that goal into reality.

To boost your success in reaching your goals even more, watch How to Set Goals That Stick. Then get the free Goal Setting Plan and start writing down your goals.

Watch the video below: