Let's Get Physical, Physical, I wanna get....

PHYS-I-CAL!!! 'Little Olivia Newton-John for ya. One of the tapes I used to listen to in my basement while dancing around with my sister.

Everyone knows they should exercise. I'm sure you know why, but I still feel compelled to list them: Disease prevention, Stress Management, WEIGHT LOSS, Strong Bones, Improved Quality of Life, on and on.

There is so much information out there, and so many ways to be physically active. Any time you move your body you are burning calories: Sit instead of laying down. Stand instead of sitting. When you do strength training (lift weights) you make your muscles better calorie burners so you can burn even more calories by moving your body.

Find little ways to be more active. Sneak it in: Ditch the TV remote, Leave your phone on the charger....in the basement, then pace while talking on it, use the bathroom on a different floor; and everyone knows about taking the stairs instead of the elevator and parking in the furthest spot from the door!

Research has shown the best method for losing weight is a caloric defecit. Expending more calories than you consume. Combining diet and increased physical activity is the most effective way to create a defecit.

There are some technical ways of figuring out the exact numbers, but I hate math. Here is the bottom line. You are already losing weight by changing what and how you eat. Lets add the physical activity in for even more weight loss. This will be especially important for weight maintenance, when you start adding some of those calories back in.

Here's the good news: Every little bit counts.

Here's the bad news: To be most effective you need to accumulate 280 minutes a week at moderate intensity.

Now that I freaked you out. (Yes that's 45 minutes on 6 days a week!)

There's more good news. Modest weight loss can be achieved with only 150 minutes. (30 minutes on 5 days a week.) But more importantly significant health benefits can be achieved.

So remember, every little bit counts. Start by doing those little things, and just moving your body more. This is physical activity. Add them all up. Then there is everyone's friend, exercise. Exercise is done continuously, it involves large muscle groups, it gets your heart rate going. When you're ready to step it up. Add in some exercise. Walking, biking, swiming, jumping rope, rollerblading, playing sports, pick one.

What can you commit to? One day? Two days? Three 10 minute segments? Two 15 minute segments?

Start slow and build up. Your body will adjust. It may be hard, tiring, sweaty, painful, (not if you do it right, blame Jane Fonda for that one) but little by little it will become easier and you might even (gasp!) like it! (I'm still waiting for that one.) Pick a starting point and add on. Add time, increase your intensity. Experiment. If you go too far, pull back. Slow down, cut back til you find a comfortable level and then try again.

So how 'bout a little dance....

Sing with me - "Let's get physical, physical....

Can't believe my Mom let me listen to that song. I was so naive!