Participants: Don Morgan
Series Code: WM
Program Code: WM000352
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00:01 The following program presents principles
00:03 designed to promote good health 00:04 and is not intended to take the place 00:06 of personalized professional care. 00:08 The opinions and ideas expressed are 00:10 those of the speaker. Viewers are encouraged 00:13 to draw their own conclusions 00:14 about the information presented. 00:36 Hello and welcome to Wonderfully Made. 00:38 My name is Don Morgan and I'm an exercise 00:42 physiologist and faculty member at 00:44 Middle Tennessee State University. 00:46 Someone once said, if you can find a path 00:51 with no obstacles it probably doesn't lead 00:53 anywhere. Becoming physical active can lead 00:57 to better health and fitness, but sometimes 01:00 obstacles can get in the way of pursuing 01:03 an active lifestyle. Today we'll discuss 01:06 some of the many health benefits which come 01:09 about as result of following a 01:11 physically active lifestyle. 01:13 I also want to point out some of the most common 01:16 barriers to starting and maintaining 01:19 an exercise program and identify some strategies 01:23 for overcoming these barriers, 01:24 so that you can remain firmly on the path 01:28 towards achieving the strong healthy body 01:30 that God intends for you to have. 01:34 I want to begin today by taking a broad look 01:38 at how our bodies respond to physical 01:41 activity and exercise. This overview is based 01:46 on material found in the 1996 Surgeon 01:49 General's report on physical activity 01:51 and health as well as other published 01:54 research. Let me start by making 01:57 some general statements. First of all people 02:01 of all ages both male and female undergo 02:06 positive physiological and structural 02:08 adaptations to physical activity. 02:11 In other words being physical active 02:15 is something that all of us can do to become 02:18 healthier and stronger. I would like to 02:21 emphasize that these adaptations to 02:24 physical activity are not restricted 02:27 to younger people. It has been shown 02:30 for example, that male and female nursing home 02:33 residents with the mean age of 87 years 02:37 demonstrated an average increase in 02:40 muscle strength of over 100% in response 02:44 to a ten week period of resistance training. 02:48 This strengthen hands was accompanied 02:50 not only muscle hypertrophy 02:53 or an increase in muscle size, but also by faster 02:58 walking and stair climbing speeds, 03:00 adaptations that would allow these older adults 03:03 to retain their independence 03:05 in mobility. Secondly, the physiological 03:09 benefits associated with physical activity 03:11 occur in many organ systems including 03:15 the cardiovascular system the heart 03:17 and blood vessels, the musculoskeletal system, 03:20 muscles and bones, metabolic systems 03:24 of the body that are important in providing 03:26 energy, the endocrine or hormonal systems 03:29 and the immune system. Third, while the 03:35 body adapts in a positive manner to 03:38 moderate physical activity many of these 03:41 benefits start to wane after a few weeks 03:44 if physical activity levels are markedly 03:47 reduced, and they can vanish within 03:50 two to eight months, if physical activity 03:52 is not resumed. This dynamic reflects a basic 03:57 physiological principle. The body responds 04:01 to the functional demands that are 04:03 placed upon it. They can either become stronger, 04:07 and more fit or weaker and less fit, 04:10 depending on your level of physical activity 04:13 or inactivity, respectively. 04:17 One of the most important benefits of 04:20 physical activity is its positive impact on 04:23 health and disease. While future programs 04:27 will address the specific role that 04:29 physical activity plays in a variety of 04:31 health conditions. Let's take an abbreviated 04:34 look and some of the major effects of 04:37 physical activity on a broad range of 04:40 health problems. One important benefit of 04:44 engaging in regular physical activity 04:46 is that it reduces the risk of dieing 04:48 prematurely. With respect to overall 04:51 mortality, higher levels of regular 04:54 physical activity are associated with lower 04:57 death rates for both older 04:58 and younger adults. Event just moving 05:02 from a poor fitness level to an average 05:05 category of fitness can result in a 05:07 substantially lower death rate from 05:09 cardiovascular disease. Thus, you don't have 05:13 to be well trained athlete to experience 05:16 a marked reduction in heart disease 05:18 death rate. But as we have discussed in 05:21 previous programs, you do need to accumulate 05:24 a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate intensity 05:28 physical activity on a regular basis. 05:32 Another positive benefit of being physically 05:35 active is that, it is means of weight control. 05:38 Increasing your physical activity level 05:41 can make weight management easier by 05:44 helping to prevent weight gain, 05:46 promoting weight loss, especially when combined 05:49 with a healthy diet and stabilizing body weight, 05:53 once excess pounds have been last. 05:56 Physical activity may also favorably influence 05:59 body fat distribution by decreasing fat deposits 06:04 around the middle of the body, a condition 06:06 which can lead to cardiovascular disease, 06:09 high blood pressure, high fat levels 06:12 in the blood and type II diabetes. 06:15 Now we just mentioned diabetes, 06:18 and regular amounts of physical activity 06:20 and exercise can decrease the risk of 06:23 developing type II or Non-Insulin 06:27 Dependent Diabetes. For the diabetic with 06:30 well controlled type I diabetes a condition 06:33 in which little or no insulin is produced, 06:36 a regular program of physical activity 06:39 can result in a marked reduction in insulin 06:42 requirements and improvements in 06:44 cardiovascular fitness and quality of life. 06:49 In those persons with cardiovascular disease 06:52 and hypertension or high blood pressure, 06:54 regular physical activity can lower 06:57 the risk of death from coronary artery disease. 06:59 Interestingly, it has been shown that the risk 07:04 of cardiovascular disease due to 07:06 low fitness. It's similar to or greater 07:10 than that attributable to other 07:12 lifestyle factors such as cigarette smoking, 07:14 high cholesterol, high blood pressure, 07:17 and greater relative weight levels. 07:21 Regular physical activity can also 07:23 prevent or delay the development of 07:26 high blood pressure and reduce blood pressure 07:29 and people with hypertension. 07:33 Regular physical activity may help to 07:35 reduce the risk of developing certain 07:37 types of cancer. While we will talk about 07:40 this topic in a future show, regular 07:43 physical activity has been linked to a 07:45 decrease risk of colon cancer and there is some 07:49 evidence suggesting a possible association 07:51 between higher levels of physical activity 07:54 and a reduced risk of breast 07:56 and prostate cancer. Regular physical 08:01 activity is essential for maintaining 08:04 joint structure and function, 08:05 muscle strength and healthy bones. 08:10 In individuals with arthritis, exercise 08:13 may be particularly helpful because you can 08:16 preserve or restore range of motion 08:19 and flexibility around affected joints 08:21 as well as increase muscle strength 08:24 and endurance so that joint stability can be 08:27 enhanced. In considering bone strength, 08:30 there is strong evidence that physical activity 08:33 began early in life contributes to 08:36 higher peak bone mass later in life. 08:39 In fact, greater lifetime physical 08:42 activity has been related to higher levels 08:45 of bone mineral mass and a lowered risk 08:48 of hip fracture in both men and post-menopausal 08:52 women. Regular weight bearing activities 08:55 such as walking, running, and racket 08:58 sports have been shown to be effective 09:00 in maintaining the density of leg 09:02 and spinal bones. There are also promising 09:06 data indicating that the gains in muscle strength 09:09 and bone health produced by weight 09:12 bearing activity and resistance training 09:14 can be very useful in helping older adults 09:18 improve their quality of life by helping 09:22 to maintain their independent living 09:23 status and to reduce their risk of falling. 09:28 In addition to physical fitness mental health 09:31 is also fundamental to overall 09:34 health and wellness. There are many 09:37 deleterious effects of chronic stress 09:39 that effect mental health, including 09:41 but certainly not limited to an increase 09:45 risk of hypertension, heart disease, cancer, 09:48 early death, compromised immunity and insomnia. 09:54 In this regard growing evidence indicates 09:57 that physical activity improves mental health 10:00 by relieving symptoms of depression and anxiety 10:03 and by improving ones psychological state. 10:07 Findings from some studies suggest that 10:10 physical activity may actually protect against 10:13 the development of depression. 10:16 When faced with psychological stress, 10:19 individuals with good levels of aerobic 10:22 fitness display a lower level of cardiovascular 10:25 response compared to unfit persons. 10:29 There also appears to be some evidence suggesting 10:33 that exercise has a positive effect 10:36 on specific measures of cognitive function, 10:39 especially among the elderly. What a blessing 10:44 it is to be able to reap so many health benefits 10:47 by simply incorporating a moderate amount 10:51 of physical activity into our lives. 10:54 In fact, even the multitude of health 10:58 blessings that we've just talked about, 11:00 it would almost be like throwing away free money 11:03 by not including physical activity 11:06 and exercise as a normal part of your routine. 11:09 However, it can sometimes be quite 11:14 challenging to find ways and create opportunities 11:17 to be physically active on a regular basis. 11:21 Let's look at some of the most common barriers 11:24 to physical activity and see if we can identify 11:27 some strategies for overcoming them. 11:32 The most common excuse that adults' cite 11:36 for not exercising is, that's right, 11:39 not enough time to exercise. 11:42 Now with the busy job and two children 11:45 who are involved in school church 11:47 and extracurricular activities, 11:49 my wife and I often wish that there were 11:52 more hours in the day. So how can we overcome 11:56 this obstacle? Well, one way is to try 12:00 and add small chunks of physical activity time 12:02 to your daily schedule. This might include 12:07 climbing stairs instead of taking the elevator, 12:11 parking your car a little farther away from 12:13 the office, avoiding the use of the 12:16 remote control to change the Television stations, 12:18 in other words, getting off the sofa 12:22 and changing channels yourself, 12:23 taking a ten minute walk during lunch, 12:27 or after your evening meal or doing 12:30 a little yard work. Remember as we've 12:33 mentioned in previous programs, 12:35 it is the accumulation of physical activity 12:39 throughout the day that leads to better health 12:42 and fitness. Another approach to finding 12:46 more time to exercise is to review your daily 12:49 schedule with a critical eye trained on finding 12:53 time to be physically active. You know, 12:57 we make time to do the things that hold 13:00 a lot of importance for us, whether it is 13:04 spending time with friends, shopping 13:06 at the mall or watching Monday night football. 13:10 If having good health is a priority in your life, 13:15 then I encourage you to seriously consider 13:18 rearranging the contents of your day to make time 13:23 for physical activity. Another reason that 13:27 people cite for not exercising is that 13:30 it is inconvenient, maybe the weather 13:32 is drowsy or you travel a lot or maybe 13:36 you have family obligations that hinder 13:38 your ability to exercise on a regular basis. 13:42 If weather conditions are such that 13:44 it is difficult to exercise outside 13:46 have a backup plan ready. This might 13:49 include cycling on a stationary bicycle, 13:52 doing aerobics with the tape, 13:54 swimming at a local YWCA or playing basket ball 13:58 in the local Rec Center. If you travel a lot, 14:01 you might consider walking around the local 14:04 shopping mall, or if you have aerobic tape 14:08 just pop it into the VCR in your hotel room 14:11 and exercise to it. Some hotels have 14:15 swimming pools and walkout rooms 14:17 that guests can use, and if worse comes to worse, 14:21 you could as one person I know does, 14:25 walk the halls and climb the stairs in the hotel 14:29 they are staying at to get in some 14:31 physical exercise. If you are a mother 14:34 who is at home with her children play games 14:37 with them that involve physical moment 14:39 or wait till they are at school 14:41 or napping to sneak in physical activity time. 14:45 Another possibility might be to trade 14:48 babysitting time with a friend or family member, 14:50 so that you can get in a short walk. 14:55 A third reason for not being active is a lack 14:58 of self motivation. Now it is difficult 15:03 to motivate someone to do something 15:05 that they don't want to do. So I hope that 15:08 the material I presented thus far in these series 15:11 of programs have served to encourage 15:14 you to find a reason to start of 15:16 physical activity program. Planning ahead 15:19 so that physical activity is an important 15:22 part of your daily schedule, for example 15:25 scheduling an appointment for 15:27 physical activity on your calendar 15:28 like you've had any other appointment 15:31 may help you to stick with an exercise 15:34 program. Setting goals for yourself 15:37 that are specific like increasing your 15:40 daily activity level to 30 minutes per day, 15:42 measurable, walking two miles a day 15:46 and attainable, trying to exercise 15:50 five out of seven days can also encourage 15:53 you to stay motivated and if you meet 15:57 your exercise goals, reward yourself 16:00 by buying a new warm up suit, 16:01 a pair of walking shoes or a new exercise tape. 16:07 If you enjoy meeting and interacting 16:09 with other people you might also want to 16:11 consider joining an exercise class 16:13 or starting a little walking club 16:16 with a few friends. While it's easier to say 16:20 to yourself, I don't want to exercise today, 16:22 it's harder to use that excuse when someone 16:25 else is expecting you to walk with them 16:27 or to attend an exercise class 16:30 that you've signed up and paid money for. 16:33 When scouting out exercise buddies, 16:35 try to find people with fitness levels 16:38 and goals that match yours, 16:40 so that you can progress at similar rates. 16:44 Some people don't like exercising 16:47 because they claim it isn't enjoyable. 16:50 Obviously you want to choose an exercise 16:54 activity whatever it is, that's fun 16:58 and that you feel comfortable 16:59 and confident in performing. 17:01 Whether it is something like running, 17:04 which is a favorite of mine or walking 17:06 or rebounding or swimming bicycling 17:09 or playing basketball or volleyball 17:11 or some other activity I haven't mentioned, 17:13 pick something that you like and start doing it. 17:19 Some people avoid physical activity 17:22 because they claim it's a boring way to spend 17:24 the time. My simple response to this concern 17:28 is to make exercise choices that are 17:31 enjoyable and fun and to be creative 17:34 about ways to vary your activity routine. 17:38 For instance, I have a friend who breaks up 17:41 his weekly exercise routine by running 17:44 a couple of days, lifting weights 17:46 on two days, and playing basketball 17:48 at least one day a week, a mix of activities that 17:52 keeps from getting in an exercise rut. 17:56 Some people lack confidence 17:58 in their ability to exercise and this keeps 18:01 them from being active. If you identify 18:04 with this concern then I suggest that you select 18:07 activities like walking, jogging 18:09 or climbing stairs, activities that 18:12 don't require learning new skills. 18:15 If you want to participate in physical 18:17 activities that do require some skill, 18:19 you can exercise with friends who are 18:22 at the same skill level as you are, 18:23 or find some one who are willing to teach you 18:26 some new activities like tennis or swimming. 18:29 Keep in mind that exercise isn't a contest 18:34 and you're not competing against anyone else. 18:37 Your goal and your only goal is to improve 18:42 your health and fitness on your own timetable 18:45 and no one else's. Another way to state 18:48 this is that when your weight starts to drop 18:51 or your clothes starts feeling a lit bit better 18:55 or you feel stronger and less tired at the end 18:58 of the day then you're a winner. 19:03 A fear of injury is keeping you 19:06 from exercising then start off slowly 19:08 and gradually increase the frequency, duration 19:11 and intensity of your activity. Remember that 19:15 there is no fast approaching deadline 19:17 for attaining your desired level 19:18 of fitness. Take your time and let 19:22 physical activity become an integral part 19:24 of your everyday routine. If your 19:27 experiencing pain when exercising 19:28 then you maybe overdoing it. 19:30 So slow down or check with your doctor 19:33 if the pain persists. Watching Dick Nunez 19:36 show Body and Spirit here on 3ABN 19:39 will also show you how to warm up your body 19:42 prior to exercise and how to cool it down 19:45 when you are finished with your workout. 19:48 The lack of self management skills 19:50 can prevent you from remaining focused on 19:53 why you began an exercise program 19:55 in the first place. If this is the problem 19:58 then ask yourself some questions about 20:00 what you hope to achieve by becoming 20:02 physically active. In other words 20:05 is your main focus losing weight 20:07 or do you want to become stronger? 20:09 Is it important for you to gain more endurance 20:12 or do you just want to function better 20:14 on an everyday basis? All of these goals 20:17 are worthy ones and having specific 20:19 objectives to work forth it can help you 20:22 to determine whether your physical activity 20:24 program is working for you. 20:27 When you first embark on an exercise program 20:29 it is vital to have encouragement 20:32 from your family and friends. 20:33 Explain your interest in physical activity 20:36 to them and solicit their support in helping 20:39 you to become physically active and fit. 20:41 This type of encouragement 20:43 can have a positive impact on your ability 20:46 to remain committed to an exercise program. 20:50 You can also invite your friends 20:51 and family members to exercise with you. 20:54 Plan social activities that involve exercise 20:57 or develop new friendships with people 21:00 who share your interest in physical activity 21:02 by joining the YWCA or water aerobics class 21:06 or a hiking club. Community resources 21:10 that are close to home or work can affect 21:13 your physical activity choices. 21:14 If these resources aren't readily available 21:18 then select activities that require a 21:20 minimal amount of facilities or equipment 21:23 like walking, jogging or exercising to a video. 21:28 By doing a little sinew thing you may 21:31 also be able to locate inexpensive 21:33 and convenient resources that are available 21:36 in your community like walking trails, parks, 21:38 and recreation programs and work site facilities 21:42 that you can advantage of. To sum up 21:47 many factors can influence our ability 21:49 to stay motivated to exercise 21:51 and I've tried to provide with some 21:53 helpful advice to overcome some of the 21:56 barriers, lacking getting the way 21:58 have you perceived of an active lifestyle. 22:00 Let me leave with some final tips to keep 22:04 you moving forward towards your goal of 22:06 becoming physical fit. One is to build on 22:09 success start with small goals that lead to 22:12 larger ones. For example, if walking 22:16 30 minutes everyday of the week is one of your 22:18 fitness objectives and you might want to start 22:20 walking three to four days a week 22:23 for 15 to 20 minutes and as you get stronger, 22:25 gradually increase the duration 22:28 and frequency of walking until you achieve 22:31 your ultimate goal. At that point, 22:33 you can determine, whether you're 22:35 comfortable maintaining your current level 22:37 of fitness or whether you want to establish 22:39 new fitness goals. Another tip that maybe 22:43 useful is to find a role model that 22:45 you can look to. Someone who started 22:47 where you are and that now embraces 22:49 physical activity as an integral part 22:51 of their life, by following their example 22:54 you can become a role model for members 22:56 of your family or friends as they watch 22:59 this transformation occur in your own life. 23:02 A third tip is not be discouraged, 23:05 if you don't see immediate results, 23:07 just as it is a gradual process for people 23:11 to become sedentary and de-conditioned, 23:13 it will also take some time to develop 23:15 a new philosophy of living that translates 23:18 into an every day commitment to an 23:20 active lifestyle. And lastly, 23:23 don't forget that small bits of 23:25 physical activity accumulated over a 23:28 period of time can lead to striking improvements 23:31 in your health. Sally lived across the street 23:36 from us and was a young mother of 23:38 four children under the age of ten. 23:41 The extra weight that Sally gained 23:43 during her pregnancies had never really 23:45 come off, and she was discouraged by the way 23:48 she looked. One day, Sally started doing some 23:52 yard work and she realized that 23:55 she really like working outside. 23:56 In fact she likes gardening so much 24:00 that it became a passion for her 24:02 and she remarked to my wife that working 24:05 in the yard help her to relax. 24:08 Often I would see her outside transplanting 24:12 strawberry and tending to her gardens 24:13 and flower beds, what amazed Sally 24:17 and what became noticeable to my wife 24:19 was that over the course of the few months 24:22 she started losing a fair amount of weight. 24:24 In fact she lost so much weight 24:28 that she eventually reach the weight 24:30 she was a prior to her first pregnancy 24:33 a decade earlier. When my wife asked her, 24:37 if she had done anything else to lose 24:39 this weight, she said no. She hadn't changed 24:42 her diet or begun a formal exercise program. 24:44 All she had done was to start working out 24:48 in her yard. Well some of you may not 24:51 necessarily enjoy planting flowers 24:54 or gardening. One lesson that can be 24:57 gleaned from this true story is that 25:00 small increases in physical activity 25:02 if maintained overtime can add up 25:06 as they did in Sally's case to produce 25:09 a brand new person for the healthy outlook 25:12 on life. I also noticed that Sally found 25:16 something she loved to do gardening 25:20 and was able to incorporate this health 25:23 producing activity into her everyday routine. 25:26 Like Sally, we too should aim to find 25:30 activities that we enjoy and include them 25:33 as part of our physical activity routine. 25:37 Our ability to thrive and function well 25:39 is tied directly to our health which in turn 25:43 is influenced by our inclination to engage 25:46 in daily physical activity. However, 25:49 some view commitment to an active lifestyle 25:52 as just one more thing to add to an already 25:56 full plate. From a broader perspective 25:59 being physical activity isn't really a problem 26:03 it's part of the solution to the epidemic 26:08 of chronic lifestyle diseases that 26:10 currently plaque our nation. 26:12 Just as out physical strength increases 26:15 with daily exercise our spiritual strength 26:19 also grows when we seek on a daily basis 26:22 to know God's will for our physical, 26:25 for our lives. Movement and physical activity 26:30 is the currency of all living things on earth 26:34 and is a constant of all heavenly bodies 26:37 in the universe. When you decide to embrace 26:41 an active lifestyle you are saying that 26:44 your health really does matter regardless 26:47 of how busy you are, or how bad the weather is. 26:52 It is my hope and prayer that you become 26:57 not only physically fit and physically active, 27:01 but that you also become spiritually strong 27:05 so that you can build up a physical 27:07 and spiritual immunity that can ward off 27:11 physical ills and keep you safe from all 27:16 spiritual temptation. In our next program 27:20 we will discussing some simple ways to monitor 27:25 your progress and becoming 27:27 physically active because you certainly 27:28 want to know if you're making games 27:31 and improving your physical activity 27:33 and will also be looking at ways 27:37 that we can motivate you to improve 27:39 your health status. Remember that it is 27:42 important to be physically active, 27:44 it is a process of the universe 27:47 and we fit seamlessly into the universal 27:51 activity when we are physical active 27:54 so until next time I want to you to keep 27:58 moving step by step towards better health 28:02 and fitness, because when you do that, 28:05 your physical health improves 28:08 and your spiritual health improves as well. 28:10 We'll see you next time. |
Revised 2014-12-17