Exercise Made Easy?

A hundred years ago “getting” enough exercise was not a concern. We were making our own bread, scrubbing our own laundry, making our own meals (remember no microwaves) and working in the fields. We exercised everyday. Life was an athletic event. Today, modern convinces have liberated us from almost all-physical labors. The 1996 American Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health stated 60% of Americans don’t exercise regularly, and of those, 25% don’t exercise at all! Exercise and health promotion is not even up for debate. Many cultures link mind and body balance with health, like tai chi. These activities are practiced as a part of living starting at childhood. In more industrial cultures, such as ours, the connection with the mind-body-health concept is lost, focusing on exercise only to “look good”. When we make an effort to exercise, advertising, infomercials, and different schools of thought often confuse us. All this is enough to make anyone sit back down on the couch. Don’t do it. Getting exercise is easier than you think. The concept of balance applies to exercise as well as every other aspect of health and well being. Exercising too hard compromises the immune system and lowers antioxidant levels (good stuff, think Vitamin C, E, etc) in your blood, while moderated exercise has the opposite effect. If you are wiped out after exercise, back off. Moderate exercise should be quite soothing.

As usual the greatest teachers tend to be those around us, our friends who we come in contact with everyday. Jennifer Umphress was my college roommate and sorority sister while I was at the University of Georgia. Jennifer was/ still is a very pretty girl, never overweight, but she really was not into “serious” workouts. I myself, was part of the “bod squad” who hit the gym religiously every day for at least an hour. The “bod squad” mentality was if you don’t have an hour, it is not even worth it! At age 21, my goal was to look good, a goal prized by many my age. Jennifer Umphress, who I will affectionately refer to as Umphress, I imagine, had the same goal as well. Jennifer had just gone through a bad break up with her high school/college boyfriend, a devastating event. Her goal when she started was to feel good about herself again. How did she do it? She strapped on her running shoes, put on the Smithereens (a rock group), and jumped up and down for 20 minutes while she and I put her ex-boyfriend under a microscope magnifying all his bad characteristics. Sometimes we really got going and she ended up jumping around for 45 minutes. Soon others would come in our room to visit while Umphress jumped. We all continued to talk. At first it was about her ex-boyfriend. Boy does word travel fast in a sorority house. Poor guy (not really), his name was mud. Eventually though we started to talk about other things. Jennifer started to feel a lot better about herself. She began to open up and fill her time with friends and exercise, but she never over did it. She used exercise as a social outlet. Umphress ended up losing 20 pounds in about six months. Mentally she was a lot healthier too.

You don’t have exercise hours on end to obtain benefits. Ideally you should try exercising three times a week for about 20- 30 minutes, but if you only have 10 minutes, do it anyway. As you make exercise a habit and fun, you will unconsciously start to do more and make time for it in your busy schedule. If you are beginning an exercise program, don’t worry about intensity at first, just make it a habit you look forward to doing. Then you can increase the intensity level. I have been practicing Umphressism and have been very pleased with how I look and feel, although I am not perfect by any means.

I recently ran into a friend of mine at the gym who kept complaining they were burnt out with exercise. I could tell they were practicing the “bod squad” philosophy. Maybe they will read this article and recognize themselves. Who knows, maybe they will practice a little Umphressism!

So lace on a pair of comfortable shoes and promise yourself you will walk only 10 minutes one way and ten minutes back. Walk as briskly as you can, spine straight, stretching you legs out as you walk, with arms swinging freely. A good walk will make you feel slightly out of breath.

As for Umphress, she is a professional in Atlanta and recently married. She taught me a lot. Thanks Jen!