Spring Into Shape, Part One

The days are longer, the weather is warmer, and the time to wear less concealing clothes is upon us. The thought of shorts, bathing suits and other warm weather attire makes many people more conscious of their physical activity, or lack there of. Along with their ruminations of what to do, people also struggle with how much they should do. This lack of knowledge often leads to not doing anything at all because people are just overwhelmed by all the hype and confusion on physical activity and fitness. People of all ages can benefit from a moderate amount of daily physical activity. Nearly two thirds of American adults do not get the minimum amount of recommended activity, and nearly a quarter are not active at all. So, what can you do to get active without having to become a Navy Seal, or join a gym that requires you to drink copious amounts of protein shakes while hammering truck tires at 5:00 a.m.? The "American College of Sports Medicine" and the "U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention" recommend the following as a means of physical activity: * Accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity activity over the course of most days of the week. * Incorporating more activity into your daily routine can improve your health status. * Daily activities may include: * walking stairs instead of using an elevator * gardening * raking leaves * dancing * mall walking while shopping * carrying a grocery basket rather than pushing a cart ( when applicable) * parking in the farthest parking spot and walking to the office or store * carrying or pushing a golf bag instead of taking a cart while golfing *Alternately, 30 minutes of activity may come from planned exercise or recreation The bottom line is too get up and move. Most of us sit too much, and do not have adequate physical activity built into our workday and personal activities. Couple this with an abundance of food available all the time and everywhere, and you can see how the pounds pack on, year after year. Next time, I will talk about building physical activity into your life. Stephen Stern, BS, CPT Common Sense Fitness Personal Training 605 Washington Avenue North Haven, Ct. 06473 203-530-1811 www.comsenfit.com stepstern@comcast.net