Jogging shoes will do to say fit

Donya Betancourt, Pediatrician, drdonya@hotmail.com

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American College of Sports Medicine recommend that for cardiovascular fitness you should perform an aerobic exercise or some form of physical activity three to five times a week, 20 to 30 minutes at a time and at an intensity level of 50 percent to 80 percent of your maximum exercise capacity.

You do not need to purchase expensive equipment to be fit. Some activities require nothing more than a good pair of shoes. Any activity should include five to 10 minutes of warming-up, as well as five or 10 minutes of stretching following the activity to help prevent injury.

The key is not to stretch when your muscles are cold. Stretch when your muscles and joints are warm and more elastic. A good routine for a runner might be to walk for a bit, then stretch those muscles that you will use in running.

After you run, stretch again. If time permits only one period of stretching; it's better to use the warming-up period to ease into your exercise, and then stretch after your exercise. When starting an exercise program, start slowly. It may take a few weeks to build up to 20 minutes or 30 minutes of continuous activity.

The best way to become physically active is to find something you like to do. If you don't like the activity, you probably won't do it. Exercise prescriptions are often too rigid, and people become discouraged if they are not able to keep to that schedule.

The new concept from the American College of Sports Medicine and the CDC is to encourage people to accumulate physical activity throughout the day. The more that is accumulated, the better.

Regular exercise is easy to lay aside because, frankly, it may seem like the least important thing on your schedule. But exercise is important. Studies show that regular exercise can give you more energy, a better quality of life, a healthier body composition, better balance and coordination, improved sleep, and a longer life expectancy.

As you age you have much to gain from getting and staying fit. Exercising regularly and staying physically active can prevent or delay serious problems like coronary artery disease, stroke, type 2 (formerly called adult-onset or noninsulin-dependent) diabetes, cancer, bone loss and osteoporosis. In some cases it may even improve your health if you already have a disease or disability.

Consistency is more important than intensity.

Studies show that three 10-minute doses of exercise can be just as effective for heart health as one 30-minute session.

So throw out the idea that you have to spend your life at the gym to be fit.

Adopt a new mind-set and think of exercise as a simple, routine part of your day. The best time to begin exercising is now. It's never too late to start, even if you've never exercised before.

The expression "no pain, no gain" is for athletes regarding warm-up stretches. The goal of routine stretching exercises is to improve flexibility. Proper stretching actually lengthens the muscle tissue, making it less "tight" and therefore less prone to trauma and tears. A stretching routine also feels good and can be a relaxing period of your day. You do not have to be an elite athlete to be fit.