Fitness & Exercise

To the uninformed, they can be two of the most depressing and intimidating words in the English language: diet (ugh!) and exercise (double-ugh!).

We all want to trim our waistlines, tone our muscles, and improve our health. But instead, many of us find ourselves sprawled out on the couch every night filling our minds with sitcoms and reality shows, bag of popcorn in hand. If you're like most Americans, you aren't about to give up those hours of rest and relaxation in front of the tube. And you don't have to, as long as you turn television into a trigger for activity.

Worried about getting older? There’s a simple, all-natural way to reverse the signs of aging and keep your entire body in shape. What is this hidden fountain of youth? Strength training.

No matter what your fitness goals are, a well-rounded fitness program will include cardiovascular, muscle strengthening, and flexibility exercises. Here are just a few of the health benefits of strength training:

It used to be that the weight room at most gyms was filled with grunting jocks and bodybuilders bulking up for their next event or to impress the ladies. Walk into a gym today and you'll see dozens of women (and men) of all ages pumping iron, not necessarily for that "cut" look but to improve their overall health.

Physical inactivity and a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25 can each lead to increased health risks such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. But when they are considered together, which presents the greater risk? Two recent studies examining the combined effect of BMI and physical activity on health reached different conclusions.

One of the best options for designing an exercise program is to get advice from a personal trainer. It's true that hiring a trainer can be expensive over a long period of time; a short-term consultation, however, can provide you with a lot of information and tailor-made suggestions for a modest cash outlay. Even a couple of sessions can clarify a lot of issues, ease your anxieties, and give you expert recommendations about the equipment you need and the procedures you should follow. Many personal trainers will help you become

Unfortunately, many people associate exercise with work. They can't imagine doing any kind of exercise for fun. This is often true for people who are overweight. Yet at Structure House, I often see people's faces light up when they sample new kinds of exercise and realize that they actually enjoy them. They realize that exercise can be a kind of play - not just laborious "working out." When they walk the Duke Trail in Durham, Structure House participants talk, laugh, and focus on one another, enjoying the time to socialize with the walk.

The short answer is "yes." And in almost every case, the longer answer is "definitely."

By Randi Rotwein, MA, MFT, CPT