The White Falcon - 21.02.1986, Síða 11

Make your fitness program liveable and more fun
By Dr. Capt. Richard C.
Baither
USAF Medical Center
Andrews AFB, Md.
If 100 people, of their own
choice, were to start an exercise
program today, within six to
twelve months between 40 percent
and 50 percent would stop.
A 1978 study on the fitness of
Americans found 41 percent of
the population is nonactive and
only 16 percent exercise at rates
considered sufficient to maintain
fitness.
Recent studies also indicate
that as a nation we have improved
during the past seven years.
Walkers and joggers are growing
in number.
Some people have suggested
that 18 percent of people will
exercise no matter what you say
or do to them and another 18
percent will not. This is for the
other 64 percent who will
exercise with encouragement and
help.
There are a few factors that
have been found to predict
non-adherence. Personal
characteristics include: low
self-motivation, smoking,
obesity, non-active leisure-time
activities and, strangely, a poor
credit rating.
In addition, the programs
estblished are found to be
inconvenient and too intense.
These are some reasons people
have used for stopping exercise.
• no time
• other priorities
• bad weather
• reached weight-loss goal
• bored with exercise
• injuries and illness
• no one to exercise with
• no facilities
• too expensive
• too difficult
• embarrassed
• moved
• vacation
• change in routine
With accurate information,
good problem solving, flexible
and careful planning and realistic
goal setting, a liveable exercise
program can be achieved.
Most people exercise forone of
three reasons: to feel better, to
look better or to lose weight.
What is important is that the
reasons are yours. You must
decide for yourself that you want
to exercise and commit yourself
to achieve your goal.
It can be done by including both
short- and long-range objectives
in a fitness plan. Experts usually
suggest that a fitness program be
designed to promote flexibility,
mucular strength and endurance,
cardiovascular endurance and a
lean body composition.
Now to design a progam. If
there is a medical condition that
could be affected by exercise, or
a significant problem is
suspected, the first stop would be
to check a with a doctor to see
what types of exercise would be
best and at what intensity. Most
will be able to find some
appropriate form of exercise.
When designing a program,
there are three general
guidleines: Don’t overload, check
progression and be specific.
People tend to overload
themselves with exercise in
duration, frequency and
intensity. If standards are set
too high, the program will only be
made unliveable.
For example, in terms of
cardivascular fitness, all one
needs is 20 - 30 minutes of
aerobic exercise at 60 percent of
the maximum heart rate three to
five times a week. Most people
can achieve this just by walking.
Most athletic injuries happen
when you push yourself beyond
your fitness level. In order to
avoid injury and make the
program livable, increase the
exercise goals gradually.
Finally, different types of
exercise tend to be fairly specific
in their effects. For example,
one exercise may not fulfill all
the fitness goals of a plan. Just
because you can run five miles
won’t guarantee that you’ll last
five minutes in an aerobic dance
class.
An exercise program should
include three basic and necessary
phases. First, a 10- to 15-
minute warm-up period for
stretching your muscles. This
prepares your muscles for
exercise, helps prevent injury
and can be used for flexibility.
Next, 20 minutes to an hour
should be aerobic exercise —
using heart, lungs and large
muscles, at 60 percent of your
maximum heart rate.
Finally a 10- to 15- minute
cool-down. This doesn’t mean
stop, just slow down and stretch.
The payoff of the cool-down
period will be the next exercise
time.
Here are a few tips that may
help keep your exercise program
alive.
• Set a specific time that fits
your schedule and body.
Please see FITNESS on pg. 12
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February 21, 1986 The White Falcon