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Health & Fitness

HealthLine: Are You a Weekend Warrior?

Get off the couch!

Spring into summer brings out the weekend warrior in all of us.  Before you embark further, consult with your physician as to your safety in undertaking your exercise adventure.

The Mayo Clinic recommends that before you start an exercise program, the first step is to assess your current fitness level.  This can be done by measuring your pulse rate before and after you walk a mile.  If that sounds like too much, take your pulse, march in place for five minutes, then take your pulse again.  If you are winded and your heart is racing, you have work to do!

Design a fitness program that works for you, or you will never stick to it.  Set goals for yourself.  Are you trying to lose weight, run a marathon, improve your conditioning or increase your social activities?  Find a schedule for your lifestyle.  It is recommended that 30-40 minutes of aerobic exercise three times a week is the minimum level needed to maintain a healthy heart and increase longevity.  This can be mixed with two or more days of weight training weekly.

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Choose an activity you like and will continue without becoming bored or frustrated. In a 30 minute time span you can burn 135 calories hiking, 180 calories playing tennis and 239 calories swimming.  Dancing burns up 221 calories in 30 minutes which is why so many celebrities lose weight on Dancing with the Stars.

There are various types of machines, treadmills and pieces of equipment you can buy for your home.  Often times these are left unused in a garage, basement or spare room.  Joining a club or hiring a trainer improves your chances of compliance because you are pre-paying for the service.

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Successfully integrating exercise into your lifestyle reaps the benefits of an elevated mood, lowered blood pressure and cholesterol, weight loss, a stronger heart, better sleep and an expanded social network.  Have fun!

Dr. Ballard is a Board Certified Internist and Geriatrician with a Special Interest in Women’s Health.  She practices in Enumclaw, 360-825-1389.  Dr. Ballard’s comments are informational only and not to be construed as medical advice.  Consult your personal physician for any medical issues.

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