1

TRANSFORMATION NATION Action Plan: Get Fit

We need exercise and activity, and not just to keep laundry-detergent manufacturers in

business. We need exercise to keep our hearts pumping, our muscles flexing, our metabolism

moving—and thus decrease our weight and our stress, and increase our energy and mood.

We know part of the challenge for many people is getting over the hump of beginning

an exercise program—going from zero to something. Yes, it can be intimidating than a

paddle-toting principal, especially if you haven’t exercised regularly or don’t feel as if your

body can withstand the demands of activity. But really, you don’t need a lot to get going, you

don’t need a lot to motivate you to do more, and you don’t need a lot to begin to see—and

feel—changes in your body.

In this Transformation Nation guide, we’ll show you the basics for getting moving so

you can do just that.

It’s no secret that we have an obesity

problem in this country. Much of the blame,

no doubt, can be placed onto the nutritional

component. We eat too much fast food, not

enough real food, and treat chips, soda,

and cake like the sixth, seventh, and eighth

food groups. The other part of the equation,

however, lies in the fact that not enough of

us move our bodies (from the couch to the

fridge doesn’t count).

2

TRANSFORMATION NATION Action Plan: Get Fit

You don’t have to dream of marathon finishes, Everest summits or granite abs to reap the benefits of regular activity.

Getting into a consistent activity routine will change your life in so many ways. Consider some of the main ways:

● Exercise increases your metabolism so that you burn energy at a higher rate than if you didn’t exercise, and it reduces your appetite by turning on your sympathetic nervous system, which activates your fight-or-flight response. Do the experiment yourself. Take a quick walk or jog when you feel the first twinge of hunger. Presto, your hunger is gone when you return.

● Exercise will help you lose the extra weight that’s stressing your joints. By dropping weight, you’ll feel less pain in your knees, hips, ankles, and back. And that will put you into a positive

The Big Picture

cycle of behavior, so that you’ll have the desire to exercise more.

● Exercise stimulates the release of endorphins, which stimulate the pleasure centers in the brain. When they’re stimulated, they give you a sense of control, which is associated with a decreased need to eat out of control.

● Exercise helps decrease

depression and increases positive attitude, so you make other positive choices and don’t have to use food as your medication.

● Exercise keeps your blood vessels open and clog-free, thus decreasing your risk of obesity-related morbidities like high blood pressure, elevated lousy cholesterol, memory problems, and heart attacks.

3

TRANSFORMATION NATION Action Plan: Get Fit

For Beginners

When it comes to exercise, there are two main biological systems we think of—the cardiovascular system and the muscular system.

In cardiovascular exercise (such as swimming, running, or cycling), your heart rate increases as you pump blood throughout your body to power your muscles to get through

Maybe you don’t know how the machines work. Maybe the only dumbbell you know about is the dingdong who lives next door.

Maybe you couldn’t tell the difference between Pilates, Zumba, Bikram or any other popular fitness session. That’s okay. Perfectly okay. You don’t need to have a

the activity. Exercise that works your muscles (such as resistance exercises) helps build strength and burn fat. How? Muscle serves as a primary energy consumer for your body. Think of it as a raging fire. Toss a log into it, and it’ll burn the log up pretty quickly. But your fat is more like one lit match—it would take years for that match to burn the log. In your body, muscle can fry up that cheese dog a lot faster than can fat—thus reducing the amount of fat you store. Add just a little more muscle, and you’ll use more energy and

Biology 101

Ph.D. in muscle-ology to get going. If you’re intimidated to start working out or think that your body won’t be able to handle the demands of a good sweat session, start with this—walk 30 minutes a day (the optimum is to hit about 10,000 steps a day). It’s the foundation for all other exercise because it not only increases your stamina, but also prepares your body for strength training. As a daily routine, walking is the psychological discipline that helps you stick with an activity plan. In fact, it has the highest compliance rate of any exercise.

store less fat. And that makes it an even more efficient exercise for burning fat than cardiovascular training. That’s pretty crucial when you consider that we lose an average of 5 percent of our muscle mass every ten years after the age of thirty-five—if we don’t do anything about it. In fact, we see drastic effects when we lose muscle—we gain weight. If you don’t intentionally rebuild muscle through exercise, every ten years you’ll need to eat 120 to 420 fewer calories each day to maintain your current weight.

4

TRANSFORMATION NATION Action Plan: Get Fit

Use these tests to see how you stack up when it comes to all areas of fitness. (Before doing each test, make sure to properly warm up by walking or doing light exercise for at least five minutes.)

Self-Tests

Cardiovascular: You can measure your heart’s efficiency by measuring your heart rate after exercise. After exercising for a period of 18 minutes at 80 percent to 85 percent of your max (that’s 220 minus your age), do three minutes at your maximum heart rate, then stop and check your pulse. Your heart rate should decrease 66 beats or more after two minutes of stopping. Do not do this without approval of your doctor unless you do it regularly as part of your workout.

Muscular: To gauge upper-body muscular stamina, do the push-up test (men in standard form; women can do it with knees on the floor). A 30-year-old man should be able to do at least 35 (five

Excuse-Proof Your LifeYou don’t need a fancy gym or a lot of equipment to have an effective (and challenging) exercise routine.

In fact, many of the best exercises you can do—such as push-ups, squats, and lunges—just require that you use your own body weight. That’s right; your body is your gym. Best of all, you can do all kinds of exercises this way—from beginner moves to advanced ones, making it nearly impossible for you to come up with any excuses for integrating some kind of activity into your daily life.

less every decade after that, until he reaches 70). A 30-old woman should be able to do 45 with knees on the floor (five less every decade after until she reaches 80).

Flexibility: Measure lower-back flexibility by sitting on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you and slightly spread apart. With one hand on top of the other and fingertips lined up, lean forward and reach for your feet. Women 45 and under should be able to reach two to four inches past their feet. Older women should be able to reach to the soles. Men aged 45 and under should be able to reach to the soles. Older men should be able to come within three to four inches of the soles.

Hike your odds of losing weight or toning up for Transformation Nation with these easy ways to sneak in exercise:

PLAY WITH YOUR KIDS. A brisk game of tag or hide-and-seek is a fun way to get both you and your little

ones moving. If your kids are older, use homework time to do crunches or stretches while they study. It will set a

good example and remind them that fitness matters.

EXERCISE WHILE YOU WAIT. Think of all the time you spend standing around – at the train or bus stop,

at the check-out stand or even in front of the microwave. See how many squats, lunges or a few inconspicuous

stretches you can do while you wait. Ignore gawkers.

MOVE WHILE YOU READ. You can read or study in plank (push-up) position, on an exercise bike or on a

fitness ball. Time yourself to see how long you can read before you need a break.

SQUEEZE IT IN. Can’t hit the gym for an hour? Try a 10-minute walk instead. Dash up the office stairs or race

around the yard with the dog. Mini workout > no workout.

MAKE LUNCHTIME COUNT. Check out a noon yoga or Spin class near your work. It will get you moving and

give you a break from the office. Plus, it’ll minimize the co-worker pizza outings.

CREATE A BACK-UP PLAN. Think ahead for days when your regular workout just won’t work. Stash an extra

pair of sneakers in the car to be prepared for an impromptu walk. Dance with your kids for 20 minutes, or pop in

an exercise DVD when you can’t make the gym.

GET CREATIVE WITH YOUR COMMUTE. Do you live in an area where you could bike to work one day a

week? Park your car a block from work, or get off the bus one stop early? Start looking for chances to move and

you’ll find them.

UNPLUG CHORES. Consider trading that gas-guzzling riding mower for the old-fashioned push kind. Rake

leaves instead of using a leaf blower. The less automated you can be, the more calories you’ll burn.

RETHINK THE COFFEE BREAK. It’s the perfect amount of time to dash up and down a flight of stairs.

Practice every day and you’ll build up Lance-like endurance.

WRITE IT DOWN. Treat exercise like any other appointment and you’ll be more likely to keep it. Mark it on

your calendar and soon it will be a part of your daily routine.

ONE EXTRA!

GET UP EARLIER. Set your alarm for 30 minutes earlier, and by the time the rest of the house is up you’ll

already have your workout complete.