Tips to be fit: Never stop working out

To stay healthy, keep exercising

“My husband used to work out almost every day for most of his life. Now, he does nothing. He tells me he has done enough working out to last him the rest of his life. Does he still have to work out to stay healthy?”

— Lois

Columbus, Ohio

Lois, he still has to work out. He’s only as good as his last workout. The Framingham Heart Study, which was conducted in Massachusetts, compared people who’d only recently started exercising with those who used to exercise regularly but stopped. They found that cardiovascular mortality rate was 40 percent lower among the current exercisers.

The benefits of exercise wear off quickly. But the benefits of exercise will return quickly when you start exercising again. The study also showed that sedentary patients have a chance to get into shape.

Aerobic exercise primarily works the heart, lungs and circulatory system. Aerobic workouts will also help you burn body fat if you do 30 minutes or more of continuous movement. It takes your body 20 minutes to switch to the fat burning stage during a workout. Try to get in at least 30 to 45 minutes of aerobic exercise three to four times a week. Try to keep your aerobic workout under 60 minutes. This way you won’t overdo it and you’ll decrease your risk of injury due to repetitive stress. Thirty to 45 minutes is ideal, but you may have to start below 10 minutes and increase your workout time gradually.

Some examples of aerobic exercise include 30 minutes or more of brisk walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming, walking in a pool, aerobic dance and jumping rope. If you’re trying to lose weight, aerobic workouts with good eating habits will help you see results within a few weeks. To get started with a walking or jogging program, start with 10 minutes. Add two minutes each week until you reach 30 to 45 minutes.

Riding your bike is a great form of aerobic exercise. But you should follow some safety tips. More than 2 million people under the age of 18 receive bicycles for gifts each year. Each day one child dies from a bicycle injury. Most of these injuries can be avoided if you wear a good helmet. Bikers get some sort of hit on the head in three out of every four bike accidents — and a head injury is more likely to kill you.

Bright-colored helmets make easier for you to be seen. It’s the perfect place to tape a quarter or two for a phone call for help. You can also put any information in your helmet that your doctor might need. Be sure the helmet and strap fit correctly. The helmet won’t do you any good if it flies off your head.

Most important, be sure you buy a helmet that has a Snell Memorial Foundation Standard or ANSI label. That’s how you know the helmet will give you the best protection.

Being seen is important while riding. During the day a bike flag will help drivers notice you. A whistle will help to warn drivers if you need to get their attention. At night, you’ll need reflectors, white or yellow for the front and red for the back. You can also put them on your pedals. Most state laws call for lights on the front and back if you’re riding at night. Halogen lights and rechargeable batteries are your best bet.

You should wear brightly colored clothes that are different from the landscape. Yellow is good because it never blends in. Red is great and Day-Glo orange will definitely be seen.

Never take traffic for granted and always be aware of the cars around you.

Biking is great for exercise and fun if your ride is safe.

When you ride a bicycle for fun or exercise, remember to start with short distances at a steady pace. Build on your distance, speed and time. To get the most out of your cycling, you should adjust your seat so that your legs are almost fully extended when the pedal is at the bottom of your bike. At the top, the toes should be tilted back and the heel slightly down. You should always pedal with the ball of the foot and not your toes.

You also need to do some toning and strength-building exercises for a totally fit body. Calisthenics, resistance training with weights or machines will strengthen and tone your body. Weight training for teens is a good way to help strengthen and shape the body, but you should avoid some exercises. If you’re under 18, you should never do heavy weight-bearing exercises such as dead lifts, behind-the-neck presses, bent lateral raises, clean and jerk, standing toe raises and squats with weights on the back. These exercises place too much stress on the spine and joint areas because your bones are still growing and are not completely fused until about age 18.

If you’ve never exercised before, find a beginner exercise group. A professional can help you get started. If you want to give it a try on your own, start a walking program. Walk every other day. Do calisthenic exercises on the day you don’t walk. Do at least one exercise for each body part. Start your program slowly and be consistent. Keep a diary to keep track of your progress. After a few months, you may want to get into weight training.

A good diet will get you off to a great start in your quest for a fit body. Just after waking, have a glass of 100% fruit juice. After a shower, have a whole grain cereal such as oatmeal or corn grits with whole grain toast. For lunch, pack a protein like tuna, chicken or turkey with a salad. These first three meals will go a long way in fueling your body with an abundance of vitamins, minerals and energy to keep you going. You should avoid sugary, high-sodium and high-fat foods.

You should consume between 12 and 15 calories per pound of body weight daily. Eating four to six small meals a day stimulates your metabolism to burn calories instead of shutting down to store fat. You should have two servings of protein, three servings of fruit, four servings of grains, four to six servings of vegetables and four servings of dairy products.

If you have never worked out or you’re out of shape, get your doctor’s approval to start a program.

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“Tips to be Fit” P O Box 53443 Philadelphia PA 19105, or tipstobefit@gmail.com

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