Overcome the lure of the sofa

Knee-deep snow and frigid temperatures make us want to ditch our workout routines as we feel the appealing lure of the sofa.

We all know that regular exercise reduces risk for heart disease, helps with weight loss, improves cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and increases energy, but physical activity can also make you feel stronger and more alive. It's a fun way to spend time with family and friends.

So before reaching for the excuse file, remember that some exercise is better than none, more is better than some, and too much is difficult to get.*

There are plenty of ways to stay active during the cold months - go ice skating or cross-country skiing with family or friends, or bundle up and take the dog for a walk. If you prefer to stay indoors, buy or rent an exercise DVD, walk at the mall, take a dance class, or join a fitness center or a community sports league. Even household chores count as exercise. These are all big steps in the right direction. 

If you’re ready to begin an exercise regimen:

• Talk to your health care provider first. If it’s been a long time since you last got any physical activity, be sure to talk with your doctor about the best way to begin your exercise program.
• Choose activities that are right for you. Pick an activity that’s easy to fit into your life – this will help you stick with it.
• Be comfortable. Make sure your clothing and shoes don’t hinder your exercise.
• Find a buddy. Having someone to exercise with is more fun than going it alone. It also increases the chances that you’ll exercise more and stick with it.
• Don’t overdo it. If it’s been a while, start with lighter intensity activities and build from there.

The Surgeon General recommends 30 minutes of moderate level activity on most days of the week. If you can’t do 30 minutes at one time, you can still reap the benefits by breaking it up into 10-minute segments. Do a little more each time. Once you feel comfortable, do it more often.

It’s up to you how often you exercise, but the key is making physical activity a regular, fun part of your life. Start slowly and build your endurance. And as soon as you start seeing results, you'll be even more motivated to keep doing it.

Exercise helps strengthen your heart and reduces your risk for heart disease. Do you know how many gallons of blood your heart will pump or how many times it will beat today? Get your personalized my heart today report.

When you begin exercising, you’ll hear all kinds of talk about intensity levels — light, moderate and vigorous. What does it all mean? Below you’ll find examples of activities and their intensity levels.

Sources:

• Make Winter Fun article from Medical News Today*
• Coming to Terms with Exercise article from WELCOA
  
• Be Active Your Way, an Activity Guide from the Department of
  Health and Human Services
  
• Active Lifestyle Activity Log from the President's Council on Fitness
  
• Staying Active in Cold Weather article from WebMD
  
• Start Walking for Exercise, an article for beginners from Wikihow

• Weight Management - Healthy Activity article from WebMD