Welcome to Shape Up Montana 2008!
Since launching SUM in 2003, more than 16,000 Montanans have participated in the three-month team wellness program that runs from February to May. The entries are still coming in, and 2008 looks like another super year.
So, let’s get busy.
What does fitness mean to you? Is it a way of life? A far-away dream? A constant struggle? Is it about joy and pleasure, or deprivation and punishment? The way you view the process can determine your level of success during Shape Up Montana.
Many new fitness enthusiasts start off on the wrong foot, and even veterans can be led astray. Here are some important points to remember: eating is not about willpower, exercise isn’t (and shouldn’t be) a penalty, and deprivation is never a successful long-term strategy.
A healthy fitness routine should be based on adding things to your life not taking them away. It’s about trying delicious new healthy foods and moving your body and mind in ways that inspire you. Try fresh blueberries on your cereal. Pack a handful of baby carrots in your lunch. Learn a new exercise or sport. Read a book on tai chi or triathlons. Take a rock-climbing lesson.
Spend time thinking about ways to enrich and improve your life rather than ways to punish yourself for eating that last slice of pie, and before you know it your unhealthy choices will be replaced with healthier options. (And remember, when reporting your monthly miles, any activity you do can be converted into miles using your SUM conversion chart.)
Before you start a new fitness plan, there are some important questions you need to ask yourself to determine whether you should see your doctor first.
The American Council on Exercise suggests that your first step be to ask yourself how active you want to be. This may sound like a silly question n you’re probably planning on doing whatever you’re capable of, whether that’s a slow walk around the block or a vigorous step class. But if you’re of a certain age or have certain cardiovascular risk factors, you may need to see your physician before beginning a program that involves vigorous (as opposed to moderate) aerobic activity.
Here’s how exercise intensities are typically defined:
n Low to moderate: This is an intensity that can be sustained relatively comfortably for a long period of time (about 60 minutes). This type of exercise typically begins slowly, progresses gradually and usually isn’t competitive in nature.
n Vigorous: This is an intensity that is high enough to significantly raise both your heart and breathing rates, and is usually performed for about 20 minutes before fatigue sets in. If you are planning to participate in vigorous activities and are a man over 40 years old or a woman over 50, you should receive a medical exam first. The same is true for individuals of any age with two or more coronary artery disease risk factors. If you’re unsure if this applies to you, ask your physician.
Here are a few more questions to answer before beginning your exercise program. A yes to any one of the following questions means you should talk with your doctor, by phone or in person, before you start an exercise program at any intensity. Don’t be afraid, just explain which questions you answered “yes” to and the activities you are planning to pursue.
• Have you been told you have a heart condition and should only participate in physical activity recommended by a doctor?
• Do you feel pain (or discomfort) in your chest when you do physical activity? When you are not participating in physical activity? While at rest, do you frequently experience fast, irregular heartbeats or very slow beats?
• Do you ever become dizzy and lose your balance, or lose consciousness? Have you fallen more than twice in the past year (no matter what the reason)?
• Do you have a bone or joint problem that could worsen as a result of physical activity? Do you have pain in your legs or buttocks when you walk?
• Do you take blood pressure or heart medications?
• Do you have any cuts or wounds on your feet that don’t seem to heal?
• Have you experienced unexplained weight loss in the past six months?
• Are you aware of any reason why you should not participate in physical activity?
If you answered “no” to all of these questions, you can be reasonably sure that you can safely take part in at least a moderate physical activity program. But again, if you are a man over 40 or a woman over 50 and want to exercise more vigorously, you should check with your physician before getting started.
So, are you ready?
In a world that’s focused on the quick fix, it’s not always easy to do things slowly and do them right. Fanaticism seems to reign supreme. However, falling prey to all-or-nothing thinking can wreak havoc on your body and your self-esteem.
People seem to think that they can pound out a new body with hammer and chisel, but the truth is that each healthy day is a layer of paint, every workout a brush stroke. It’s the healthy changes unfolding over time that make the masterpiece.
By taking the time to evaluate if you are ready to start exercising, you’ve planted yourself firmly on the path to better health and fitness, and Shape Up Montana will be here to help every step of the way.
Suzie Eades Wood, a National Strength and Conditioning Association-certified personal trainer, is operations director of the Big Sky State Games, which runs the Shape Up Montana program.
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