Exercise Has So Many Benefits, So Why is it So Hard to Stay Motivated?

Shanel Perry

We all know why we should work out.  It helps control weight and mood, prevents health problems diseases, boosts energy, etc,  but why is it so hard to stay motivated? Knowing why and how to exercise may not be enough.  The CDC collected date from over more than 45,000 U.S. adults 18 and over and nearly 80 percent are not getting their recommended amount of exercise each week.  

So what is stoping so many people?  Certified health behavior coach Shelly Hoefs explains, "Change is hard! When we try to start exercising, we think of all the excuses for not doing it and all the things that have gotten in the way before.  Getting fit starts to seem overwhelming and that makes if feel stressful.  Before long, we don't want to do it anymore." 

In order to stay on track find personal motivation to exercise.  You won't get off the couch until you find something deep down that will keep you going.  This can be getting healthy or having the body you dreamed of for years.  Also in order to keep it fun and exciting, mix it up.  Take yoga one day, go for a run the next or just play football with some friends, that way you never get sick of a certain exercise.  

One of the most important things you can do in order to stay on track is to set realistic goals.  It is impossible to lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks so make sure your goals are achievable.  Aim for exercise goals like walking 5 more minutes then you did yesterday.  You will have a better chance of being successful and motivated.    

Last but not least, don't let minor setbacks discourage you. If you planned a trip to the gym and you just couldn't make it, don't get down on yourself and lose that motivation to exercise like so many do.  "For many people, this is a slippery slope," Cal Hanson, director of the Sanford Wellness Center in Sioux Falls, S.D says. "It reminds them of times when they failed before, and they begin to think of themselves as exercise failures."  So start thinking of yourself as someone that exercises and that will soon become your identity. 

Sources: 

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-57582759/cdc-80-percent-of-american-adults-dont-get-recommended-exercise/

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/HQ01676/NSECTIONGROUP=2

http://www.webmd.com/parenting/raising-fit-kids/move/motivated-to-exercise

What evidence exists to show HIIT is better than 150 minutes/wk of exercise?

Luke Newman

            In the United Kingdom, 62% of men and 72% of women do not get the government recommended 150 minutes of exercise per week.  In research studies, HIIT has shown increased aerobic capacity, carbohydrate metabolism, and insulin sensitivity.  Jamie Timmons, a professor of ageing biology at UAB, says that examining the effects of six weeks of HIT versus 20 weeks of endurance training produces results in the same range in regard to aerobic capacity.  An additional argument for the benefit of HIT is that it’s easier to maintain.  A person would be more likely to stick with a workout plan that only took a few minutes a week compared to two and a half hours.  Therefore, HIT would lead to a healthier population.  However, it was pointed out that in people who are already active, adding HIIT to their exercise regimen “does not add much.”

Murphy, Sam. "Can You Get Fit in Five Minutes?" The Guardian. The Guardian, 10 June 2012. Web. 30 Sept. 2013. <http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/jun/10/can-get-fit-five-minutes>.

What are the physical and mental harms of exercising too much?

Danielle Z


In class we talked about all the good things that can come from exercise, but can too much of a good thing have a negative effect? A study showed the "optimal weekly dose of exercise between 2.5 hours and 7.5 hours". Exercising above or below that amount showed people having poorer mental health. This would not be what I expected. It makes sense that if you do less you might have negative consequences, but I would never expect someone doing more would also have negative consequences. The physical harms of exercising too much can be "injuries, exhaustion, depression, and suicide" and more. People tend to think if you work out more it makes you healthier and that is not the case. 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day is optimal for someones health.


Sources:
http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2012/12/too_much_exercise_could_be_bad.html
http://men.webmd.com/features/exercise-addiction

How much of a negative impact does (long-term) stress have on the physiology of the human body?

  By James Coulter
   I often wonder about stress, and the affects that it has on the human body. So I did some research to educate myself. Stress is the body's reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response. According to Web MD,  "The human body is designed to experience stress and react to it, stress can be positive, keeping us alert and ready to avoid danger."

   On the other hand, stress becomes negative when a person faces continuous challenges without relief or relaxation between challenges. As a result, the person becomes overworked and stress-related tension builds. Stress that continues without relief can lead to a condition called distress -- a negative stress reaction. Distress can lead to physical symptoms including headaches, upset stomach, elevated blood pressure, chest pain, and problems sleeping. 

   Everybody experiences stress in one way or another, but the best advice that I can give anybody, is to try to go places that are fun, and stay away from stressful environments, keep positive relationships at home, work, and stay organized with school work. I hope my article gave the class a better understanding about stress, and the effects that it has on the body.

                              www.webmd.com/mental-health/effects-of-stress-on-your-body‎

What are other fitness apps?

       After the presentations I noticed that many people are also doing exercise for their PGP. After seeing the different apps everyone chose, I wanted to see other helpful fitness apps. I found many running apps, some of the most interesting I found were Nike+iPod app that is built into most iPhones and will keep track of the amount of running and calories burned. Garmin Fit will track your run with a GPS tracker will also calculate how many calories you've burnt using your weight, height and age, and you can listen to your own music while you run. Zombies, Run! was a funny one I found, if you like zombies you can have the sound of zombies in your ear to make it feel like you are being chased, it will keep track of your distance and also let you make your run into an epic story. For those who like charities, Charity Miles lets you pick a charity and you earn 25 cents per mile.
       P90X is a good app for overall fitness, the app takes the popular fitness program and makes it more mobile and keeps track for you. With Obstacles XRT you can jump over tires, escape quicksand, and crawl under fences, all in the comfort of your own home with no equipment necessary, the app uses plyometrics and HIIT training to get your blood flowing and fat burning. Nike Training Club gives you many workouts to follow and keeps track of your workouts while giving you points for each workout. JEFIT gives you exercises based on the muscles you want to work and lets you keep a log of each workout.

Leslie Zoller

http://beta.active.com/fitness/articles/10-best-iphone-fitness-apps-for-2013
http://dashburst.com/best-ios-fitness-apps/
iTunes App Store

Does the "mental diet" have positive, lasting effects?

by Dan Ritchey


     After hearing about the "mental diet" discussed by one of my classmates, I was curious to know whether or not completing the program would have any real effect on overall health. I had never heard of the diet before last week, so I first set out to learn more information about what the diet entails. According to Emmet Fox, author of "The Seven Day Mental Diet: How to Change Your Life in a Week", "The Seven-Day Mental Diet is about throwing out all negativity and thinking only positive thoughts because ... thoughts are things, or they become things. And if you believe that, it follows that everything in your life today is based on past thoughts you had at some point."
     According to a website called "The Intentional Workplace", mental cleanses can have several positive effects, such as,"helping you to quiet the incessant chatter in your mind, strengthen your ability to pay attention and focus and build greater patience. Every time you become aware of the content of your thoughts you reclaim the power to control your response to circumstances that are beyond your control. Work, relationships, health, world events, financial situations – there is not one area of your life that will not benefit from increasing your conscious awareness."

References:
The Ultimate Diet for a New Year “ The 7 Day Mental Cleanse | The Intentional Workplace. (2012, January 5). The Intentional Workplace | Transforming Work One Conversation at a Time. Retrieved September 25, 2013, from http://intentionalworkplace.com/2012/01/05/the-ultimate-diet-for-a-new-year-the-7-day-mental-cleanse/

Why is runing more beneficial than the elliptical or other cardio workouts?

Molly Vickers

I figured that answering this question would be simple and straight-forward after a little bit of research on the topic. However, I was surprised at what I found. There was not one article or study I found that running is all-around a better cardio workout than using an elliptical. According to Edward R. Laskowski, M.D., the elliptical has many advantages. It is less stressful on knees and joints, and you can pedal in reverse which works on calf and hamstring muscles. Treadmill versus elliptical benefits also depends on a person's fitness goals. An elliptical is a good alternative to jogging because both are considered "low impact," but a treadmill is a better tool to prepare for high impact training such as a distance road race.

A study conducted at the University of Nebraska concludes that oxygen consumption and energy expenditure do not differ whether using a treadmill or an elliptical in spite of a higher heart rate on the elliptical. This information implies that an elliptical is an acceptable alternate to running on a treadmill, which surprised me because running is always much more of a challenge to me than using an elliptical when I work out.

Sources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20453685

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/elliptical-machines/AN01620