SHAPE UP
Work physical activity into your daily life
Any way you muscle it, physical activity is essential to your effort to hold the line against weight gain. From the National Weight Control Registry (an ongoing study of successful "losers" who have dropped 60 pounds and kept them off for an average of five years) to the Diabetes Prevention Program (a federally financed project showing that weight loss can help delay type 2 diabetes), study after study shows that regular physical activity helps to prevent weight gain.
Here are ways to help you work more physical activity into your day:
Schedule active get-togethers. Think long walks, museum outings — anything that keeps you moving rather than sitting and eating.
Set realistic exercise goals. OK, so you vowed to work out five times this week and only made it to the gym twice.
"Very often people need to lower their expectations about the amount of physical activity they can get," said Marsha Hudnall, director of nutrition and eating behavior programs at Green Mountain at Fox Run, a Vermont spa. Better that than concluding you've failed and giving up. "Maybe you shoot for three times a week and get there one to two times. Instead of feeling bad, scale back. ... Even five to 10 minutes will help."
Take the stairs. Yup, you've heard it before, but hoofing it up and down the stairs remains one of the basic "lifestyle" exercises that can really boost your daily activity level with minimal time commitment. So rather than waiting in line for the elevator, take the opportunity to find the stairs. (A 150-pound person will burn about 25 calories for every five minutes of stair climbing.) Or make the stairs part of an "indoor" exercise circuit at your home or office. When possible, walk up the escalators rather than standing. And instead of loading up for one big trip up or down stairs at home, take smaller loads so you make multiple climbs. It was that kind of strategy that helped folks in the NIH study maintain their weight.
Other effective lifestyle exercises include parking at the far end of the lot; getting off the bus a stop early and walking the rest of the way; and walking or biking to errands.
Be flexible and creative. Dance to music at home. Do housework to music with a beat.
Log your daily activities. Use a journal to keep track of your activity or record it online for free at www.fitday.com.
Lift weights. It can take only minutes and pays off by boosting your metabolism for the next 24 hours, according to William Kraemer, professor of kinesiology at the University of Connecticut. And studies show that weight training helps people of all ages and physical conditions improve strength.
