Ask Aunt B

Dear Aunt B Readers,

Week three is upon us on fundamentals of taking care of our health, bodies, and mind. Week one we discussed social connection. Social connection is so important to our well being and this past year has added an additional challenge for us in this category. Week two we discussed mastering our mind. Personally I believe mastering our mind is the gateway to all we do and the level of success and happiness we experience. Today the fundamental

Today the fundamental we will explore is moving our bodies.

Centers for Disease Control states that only 23% of US adults get the recommended amount of exercise weekly. They recommend 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise with 2 sessions of muscle strengthening activity. Where do you fall into these statistics? Are you moving moderately for a little over 20 minutes a day? That’s not a lot really. All of us waste 20 minutes a day. Time cannot truthfully be our excuse. So why do so few of us meet these minimum standards?

These guidelines are for simple health. If our goals are to lose excess weight the exercise needs to be more. This is not meant to give information that seems too big to reach. If you are not moving at all, just begin. Begin where you are, not where you want, or anyone thinks you need to be. Set your goal for the minimum amount that you won’t talk yourself out of and then as you feel better you will do better.

As a population, we are sitting too much. We are sitting at our desks working and sitting and watching television or sitting and doing just about everything. I have a desk that I stand at to do work. When I first started this I was surprised at how much different I felt. At first I was really tired at the end of day. Now it just feels normal. If you can incorporate standing with your work, it would be amazing. If you are a person that watches a great amount of television. Start standing through the commercials or part of the shows. Stretching while you watch your shows helps.

Better weather is upon us. Get outside and walk. Most believe it is one of the best ways to move our body. Get the best shoes for your walking that you can afford. Taking care of your feet is important as well. The fresh air is also good for you. When the weather gets too warm or wet, walk in place as you watch television.

Building muscle becomes even more important as we age. It doesn’t take a set of weights to begin this exercise. Filling bottles of water or using canned goods work great. If you are just beginning, I started doing push ups against my kitchen counter. Actually, I think I started just pushing against the wall. Remember Aunt B is not a doctor so always check in with your healthcare provider before starting any workout. Listen to your body. Start slow and as you build up your strength and stamina, you will then have greater desire to increase your activity and its intensity.

Oh my goodness, I almost forgot my favorite. It is actually where I started my “move more” goals. I play music and just dance. Set a timer and just dance. With nobody watching you can really get your groove on.

Love,

Aunt B

If you would like to send Aunt B a question please email your question to news@forneymessenger.com.