And MORE "More, More, More"!

Okay, why stop at MORE fruits and vegetables? Let’s continue a healthy 2010 by adding in MORE exercise, too! The key here is to set realistic goals. If you are very overweight and get short of breath unloading groceries, deciding to start exercising by running 3 miles per day (like you did when you were on the high school track team) is unlikely to succeed. Start low, go slow. For example, get a pedometer and WEAR it. (I emphasize wearing it because of the large number of patients who tell me they bought a pedometer, or exercise bike, or joined a gym, but never USED it.) Whatever your baseline number of steps per day is, add 300 steps per day until you reach a goal of 10,000 steps per day. The positive feedback of reaching your goal each day is going to keep you motivated.
If you are already walking a couple miles per day, but want to take your aerobic fitness to the next level, the same principle applies. Consider signing up for a 5K or 10K race, or perhaps a sprint distance triathlon. When you know what you “must” be able to do by a certain date, it’s easier to set up a training regimen with short term weekly goals.
BOTTOM LINE: Focus on MORE aerobic activity by creating realistic short -term goals that will set you up for continued success!