Q & A about Exercise . . .

• What qualifies you to answer my questions?
• Are you trying to sell me something? Are you trying to save my soul?
• I want to exercise and get in shape, but I don't actually do it. How can I get motivated?
• I get lots of exercise when I garden and clean house. Isn't that enough to lose weight?
• Will I burn as many calories whether I walk or run?
• You say for exercise to be effective, you need to hurt. I don't want to hurt. Can't I exercise without hurting?
• Where can I find more information about exercise that comes from reputable sources?

What qualifies you to answer my questions?

I'm sharing what's been effective with me. I am not a physician, and before you begin an exercise program, you should see one. Be careful, though. Many physicians are terrified of being sued, and for good reason. If a doctor tells you not to exercise, I would consider getting a second opinion.

• Searching for resources: There's lots of information out there and a lot of it is flaky stuff that comes from people with all sorts of agendas that have nothing to do with legitimate goals. I look for information that is confirmed by entities that hold widespread respect. Much of what I write about comes from those sources.
  
• My experience: What I've done is working for me so I'm sharing that.

Are you trying to sell me something?

I want to exercise and get in shape, but I don't actually do it. How can I get motivated?

You're not alone. It's a rare person who doesn't want to be in better shape. It's not the "want to" that counts, but rather the willingness to do what it takes to get started and keep going. The most effective motivator is hitting a significant bottom. Alcohol and drug bottoms often come quickly and are such significant life changers that the willingness often follows. Bottoms caused by lack of exercise come along slowly. The exception is sudden death from a heart attack, but that bottom doesn't help much as a motivator.

So, somehow most of us have to develop the willingness to do something hard (exercise) without a signficant bottom. I do two things to stay motivated.

• Play the tape through to the end. Instead of idle thoughts and wishful thinking about being in shape, I project the outcome of continued sloth. I see myself grasping my chest in agony. I hear the doctor telling me I've got diabetes. And, I pay attention to other people. I notice the overweight guy with the pump attached to his belt. I read the obituaries of guys younger than me dying of heart attacks. I'd rather learn by listening and watching rather than learning by experiencing the pain myself. All that helps me keep going.
• Take small steps. I don't think in big hunks. I didn't think, "I need to lose seventy pounds." Instead I thought, "I need to lose two pounds this week." I don't think, "I need to run five miles today." Instead I think, "I need to get my running gear on." As my friend Beth says, " . . . there is nothing quite so stupid as doing all that at the front door and then not going.

For the full scoop on motivation, go here.

I get lots of exercise when I garden and clean house. Isn't that enough to lose weight?

No, it's not. To burn calories at a significant enough rate to be effective in weight loss, you need to get your heart rate into your target zone for a sustained period of time. Ninety percent of the more than 5000 people who've lost an average of 66 pounds for more than 5 years who are on the National Weight Control Registry exercise for an average of an hour a day. Most walk and separate studies indicate they walk fast enough to get their heart rates into their target zone. While your heart rate may accelerate from time to time when you garden or clean house, it's not sustained enough to burn significant calories.

Will I burn as many calories whether I walk or run?

Running's harder than walking, but it burns more calories. Look at the differences and decide what you want to do. Here's some examples of calories burned from the MSN Health Boards Calculator for someone weighing 170 pounds and exercising for one hour:

• Slow Walking: 193 calories burned
• Fast Walking: 294 calories burned
• Running at a ten minute mile pace: 773 calories burned
  

You say it's OK to hurt. I don't want to hurt. Can't I exercise without hurting?

Of course you can. Research consistently indicates that any exercise is better than nothing. And, once you get in the routine of doing some kind of exercise every day, you're more likely to instensfy your efforts.

Here's the problem, though: if you are exercising to lose weight, lower ldl cholesterol, or raise hdl cholesterol, you need to be working hard enough to sweat. You need to get your heart rate up into your target zone. To do that hurts a little bit. (Read the difference between "hurt" and "pain.") If you aren't working hard enough to burn calories, you won't lose weight and you'll become discouraged and quit exercising.

So, just get started. Hopefully, at some point your desire to lose weight and the rest will overcome your desire to live easy and comfortable 100% of the time. You'll be willing to struggle for 45 minutes a day so the rest of the time will be so much better.

Where can I find more information about exercise that comes from reputable sources?

Finding information on exercise (and weight loss) by surfing the Internet can be confusing and discouraging. Anybody can create a website. (This website is proof.) Sometimes you are reading information from true nut cases. Many times you're on a website created by somebody to make money and they'll include any information they can to keep you coming back in the hopes you'll click on an ad on their page and they'll get paid. Some have legitimate and objective information. The latter are what I search for and I found a terrific source of information. Dr. Martica Heaner is a contributor to the MSN Health and Fitness website. She has a Ph.D. in behavioral nutrition and physical activity from Columbia University, an M.A. in applied physiology and an M.Ed. in nutrition, both from Columbia University, and a B.A. from Smith College in English and exercise science. You can read her complete biography here.

Dr. Heaner answers questions for the MSN website. Her answers include citations from highly respected sources. Links are included so you can go to the source and use your own judgement as to the efficacy of the founding research. You can see a list of questions with links to her answers here. That'll keep you busy for a while and you'll be getting some terrific information.

.