Sudden, seasonal bursts of energy towards getting in shape come and go with the ever-changing weather.  What is important is that maintaining some form of physical exercising, beyond one’s every day cycle, helps reduce anxiety while building emotional strength.  How?  Physical strain weakens pent-up, nervous, energy that would otherwise fester and brew harshly within a person’s psyche.  One theory is that endorphins, a chemical the pituitary gland produces during vigorous exercise, improves one’s mood.  Regular exercise also decreases the risk for chronic health conditions, such as heart disease and cancer, and there seems to be a connection between these illnesses and depression³.  Most people agree that even though they may not look forward to doing a workout, they tend to feel better after they do, and they are equally better to assume their rightful place at work⁴.    

    “I get bored doing exercises.  Besides, there never seems to be enough time.”  How many of us have said that in the past week alone?  Pry a crowbar into that not-as-hectic-as-you-say-it-is schedule of yours and rush to find time to save your own life.  You don't have to exercise every day to achieve goals for good health. Initially, aim for every other day.  Walking, or running if you’re better able, for fifteen minutes is a terrific start.  The average length of time spent by those considered in good shape is about twenty minutes, three times a week.  Eventually, you should want to work out at least 30 minutes each day, but work up to that gradually.   Moderate activity that gets your heart pumping a little harder and causes you to break a sweat is what you want to strive for.  Strength training is also a good idea.  Be sure to warm your body up adequately before you begin your work out.

Health concerns

     If you've had a heart attack or other heart problems, chances are that you would benefit from regular exercise, and you can probably safely start an exercise program right in your own home.  Eventually, you will begin to feel better and want to do more.  Being physically fit is good for your back, especially your lower back. An exercise program that emphasizes cardiovascular strength, flexibility, and strength training is good for the health of your back.  Activities that are least likely to cause chronic lower back pain include biking, hiking, and swimming.  Some activities with more moderate risks are baseball, basketball, bowling, and golf.

     Be certain to warm up before you go and cool down when you're finished.  Additionally, done properly, stretching can prevent injuries such as strains, sprains, and shin splints, while increasing the range of motion in the joints and increasing blood circulation.  Hold stretches – bouncing is not beneficial and may even be harmful.  Overstretching can cause injury, so if you're stretching to the point where you feel pain, stop. The neck, shoulders, trunk, hips, leg and groin muscles all benefit from stretching.  Sudden overzealousness can lead to harmful excess.  Do not overdo it. A little bit of tightness is expected, but pain is another story altogether. If you begin to feel pain in your joints or your muscles, give yourself days of rest until the pain goes away. If pain continues, or if your legs or feet become cool or pale, see your doctor.

     Pay attention to your body's response to heat. After 15 minutes of working out in hot weather, your body temperature can rise as much as 5 degrees. Sweating has a cooling effect on your body, and sufficient fluid is needed to produce enough sweat. Drink water before and after you work out, as well as every 15-20 minutes during your exercise routine.  If your body can't get rid of heat effectively, the consequences can be as simple as an uncomfortable workout or as serious as fatal heat stroke.   An even cool-down decline period is also important after the workout is finished.  If during this time you experience shortness of breath, dizziness, cold or clammy skin, nausea, or chest pains while you are exercising, stop right away and call your doctor.

    Remember that oxygen is the key to life.  How well one performs during periods of exercise in full depends upon their oxygen intake. The only way physical recuperation can be achieved is after oxygen has reached the blood stream.  This is why it is paramount to breathe properly.  Always breathe through the nose and not through the mouth.  Oxygen absorbed through the nose reaches the blood many times faster than air absorbed through the mouth. Of all the times to keep your mouth shut, this is it.  It is this revised breathing pattern that greatly reduces one’s recovery time, while reducing the likelihood of a heart attack caused form a lack of oxygen in the blood,  barring any pre-existing physical abnormalities⁵.  Pulmonary rehabilitation can help you reach your physical potential. It can also help you avoid heart attacks and keep you out of the hospital.

Some simple exercises 

     Where is the best place to work out?   Many people cannot afford fitness clubs or home fitness equipment. That is ok.   In the home, simple chairs and the floor are excellent starting apparatus for use by the beginner.  And if saving money is a consideration, staying home is a superior way to minimizes costs.  Going through these quick moves a few times a day, at home or at work, will help your body release tension.

1. Clasp your hands behind your head and pull your elbows together and shoulder blades back.
2. Gently bend your wrists up and down, holding 3 to 5 seconds each time.
3. Hug yourself tightly for 10 seconds, then change your arms (bottom to top) and do it again.
4. Slowly tilt your head left, right, front, back.
5. Raise your arms over your head and stretch one hand higher, then the other.
6. Stand in place and march, using high knee responses.
   
   

     Losing weight is high on the list of why people want to exercise.  Muscle tissue burns calories much faster than fat.  Calories only burn with the combination of exertion and time allotted to that strain.  You need a rapid heart rate, with quickened breathing, to achieve sought after reductions. Also, strength training can tone your muscles and increase bone mass, especially important for women, who are frequently at risk for osteoporosis.  Weight reduction is in direct relation to energy spent multiplied by time allotted. Here are some additional exercise suggestions:

1. Park your car farther away from your destination than you normally do to give yourself extra walking time. 
2. If possible, take just 15 minutes before or after you eat lunch to go for a quick walk
3. At work, walk the halls briskly or go up and down the stairs to get your blood pumping a little faster.
4. Go to your nearest mall and walk briskly.
5. Add some fun to your routine with dancing or dance classes.  It's a great way to socialize and exercise at the same time.
6. Exercising with a group puts peer pressure on all of us not to quit.

Exercise year round 

     It comes naturally to send kids outside to play during the warmer months. In the winter, you have to make more of a conscious effort.  During holiday time, you need to exercise as much as any other time of year if not more, considering the added mental stress that holidays tend to bring.  People who stop exercising in the winter and attempt to pick up where they left off when it gets warm are exposing themselves to the risk of injury.  Consider making exercise a family thing.  Go skating, take a winter hike, or even go on a nice long walk. The cold fresh air will invigorate everybody and make sleep come a little easier too.  Exercising regularly in amounts of time that add up to thirty minutes a day should help a troubled person fall asleep at night.

    In bad weather, little daylight, or during holiday periods, there’s plenty of time for over indulgence, making it tempting to spend free time under a blanket watching television and eating from a giant bowl of chips.  Staying active gives a person not only more energy but the desire to want more.  Remember:  exercise needs to feel a little bit like work.

Step up the pace 

     If a longer lunch exercise session appeals to you, it might not be a bad idea to talk to your supervisor about it. You might get permission to do a serious workout at a health club, a skating rink, a basketball court, or other exercise facility, if you're willing to make up the time at the end of the day – not a bad idea, considering you won't need to rush home and exercise after work.  See, I remembered how busy you are. 

     Challenge yourself in the following ways: 

1. Perform your activity more quickly than usual or double the amount of time you usually devote to exercise.
2. Add weight training to your routine.

     Exercise helps when people feel down in the dumps⁶. It is also very effective against major depressive disorders. If, however, you take medication for depression and you're interested in finding out whether exercise would benefit you, talk with your doctor. Never stop taking prescription medicine without talking with your doctor first⁷.