"SO WHAT are we talking about? Of course I am true to myself!”

Are you. . . REALLY?  Nearly three-quarters of American men and more than 60% of women are obese or overweight. Are you really being true to yourself? My main focus here is that people need to become honest with themselves concerning their physical health. That is what I will be speaking about in this SPEM Health issue.

 

“SO WHAT” do we do to improve our physical health?”

One of the most frequent problems 50%+ of people have is keeping their weight in a good range. That is something that people are dealing with on a daily basis. Daily exercise! Proper nutrition!

                                                                                                                  

“SO WHAT are some of the reasons people have a problem maintaining their physical health?”
"I don't have time". "I don't have the motivation". "I don't like to exercise", "I'm too tired".
"It takes away time with my family and friends."  “It hurts too much.”

The real reason you don't exercise is because of you don't want to. You have all sorts of excuses. Why should you exercise? Being too overweight can lead to a number of medical conditions (type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, cancers, gallbladder disease, weight related disorders like arthritis). I often hear the argument from my patients: “I have leg pain,” “I have back pain,” “I have other pains and I just can't exercise”. I briefly talk about my own personal history of a complete fracture of my left leg in 2007 with a metal rod implanted in my leg. I can recall my first physical therapy appointment. I went to my therapy appointment on crutches. I was non-weight bearing on that leg for 3 months.  I was still in pain from my fractured left leg. The first thing the therapist said to me was, "Get on the exercise bike." And, I said to the physical therapist, "Excuse me, I have a broken left leg". The therapist then said in a much louder voice, "GET ON THE BIKE!" So, I got on the bike and started moving the pedals. I was shocked to realize that the pain was not that bad, it was a minor pain. After the training session to strengthen my atrophied leg on the bike, I actually felt much better! So my message to patients is, get a stationary exercise bike, sit on it, and start pedaling the bike. Or, get a treadmill, stand on it, turn it on and start walking. Or, get out to a safe road/sidewalk and start walking. There are so many variations of what you can do to get your personal exercise routine started!

 

“SO WHAT if I can't afford an exercise bike or a treadmill?”

Oh, yes, you can! Pre-owned exercise bikes and treadmills are at yard sales and some retail stores for very low costs. And, you’ll find pre-owned items on bulletin boards in grocery stores, restaurants, and in work-place environments. I’ve seen pre-owned cross trainer bikes are available for as little as $40.00.

 

“SO WHAT if I don't have room for an exercise bike?”

Oh, yes, you do! They only take up about 4 feet of floor space. MAKE THE ROOM!

 

“SO WHAT if I don't like the way they look?”

 GET OVER IT!  Your health is more important!

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“SO WHAT if, well, okay, okay, I will try to exercise!”

Well, don't just try, DO IT!  But, before starting, consult with your family doctor to review your exercise regimen. And remember, you are either just starting out after never having exercised in your life, or you have been away from it for a while. Either way, you need to “Be True To Thine Own Self!” You are not a top athlete, nor are you interested in becoming one! But, you can be at the best health possible for you and an exercise routine will help you get there! You just have to get started and you can do it!

“SO WHAT is a great exercise regimen for me?”

Exercise 20-30 minutes a day x 6 days a week. 20-30 minutes probably sounds like a long time to some people. You’re saying, Oh my, no one can do that! I need to watch my favorite TV show! Well, kemosabe, as the Lone Ranger and Tonto once said, you CAN have your cake and eat it too! But start off with a bit less than that and work up to a full schedule of daily exercising. It is better if you do a less number of days per week, instead of not exercising at all!                        

 

Here is a great exercise routine that you can work up to!

Notice how weight training for different parts of the body is scheduled on different days. That gives each muscle group one day to relax and build up.

 

Day 1 - Cardio Exercise in front of the TV. Okay, so now you are in front of the TV on your exercise bike or treadmill. Now you can work out 20-30 minutes on the exercise bike or treadmill while watching your favorite show or movie! Keep in mind you need to increase your speed to at least 3 miles per hour to get any cardio benefit. You are not out walking the dog. You are doing real exercise. Now stop. You are finished for the day!
 

Day 2 - Weight training Pick up a pair of 2.5lb weights to start out with, at your favorite sporting goods store. Pick up a copy of basic physical exercises at the book store or get a copy on line. You are going to focus on your upper body. Pick out 4 or 5 basic upper body exercises and do the suggested repetitions. Remember only exercise for 20-30 minutes then stop.

 

Day 3 - Do your cardio (See Day 1) on the bike/treadmill.

 

Day 4 – For your abdomen and lower back you can pick out the exercises from your list.

 

Day 5 - Cardio (See Day 1) on your bike/treadmill

 

Day 6 - Lower body. Pick out exercises from your list.

 

Day 7 - REST your entire body. When Monday rolls around, you can start all over, again!

 

Hey, folks! This is not rocket science. This is exercise science. We all need to increase our exercise in our daily lives. This will have a significant impact on our overall SPEM Health. The days of give me more pain medicine are over. Now, we must take responsibility for ourselves. "Sir/Madam. . .Heal thyself." Stick to your goal and let your own personal exercise routine take root in your life! Remember, when you find that you miss a day of exercise, just get back into the routine you have set for yourself. Never, ever, ever give up!  You can do it! As you get your physical exercise under way, you will find that you improve your emotional and mental health, as well. As I mentioned earlier, physical exercise can help your entire well-being.

 

“SO WHAT about diet?"

I am hungry, so what do I eat?" At one time or another, we have all asked ourselves this question. So eat more veggies, less meat, less fat, more protein, less carbs, more fish, less calories, only shop at the outer perimeter of the food market. Eating properly, also, has a healthy effect on your emotional and mental health.

“SO WHAT is the answer?”

Common sense tells us that if we eat more calories than we burn off, we will gain wait. Shocker!!

So what will work? Over the years, I have recommended a low carb life style. Our bodies must have carbohydrates.

 

“SO WHAT about Carbs?”

Carbohydrates have six major functions within the body: Providing energy and regulation of blood glucose; sparing the use of proteins for energy; breakdown of fatty acids and preventing ketosis (a metabolic process when the body burns stored fats). By reducing the amount of carbohydrates, we burn off fat. By increasing the amount of carbs beyond what is needed for basic metabolism, the body stores them as fat.

 

“SO WHAT if I eat 5000 calories a day of low carb food, will I lose weight?”

Remember above when we talked about common sense? No, you will gain weight if you eat 5000 calories a day of low carb food.

 

“SO WHAT do I do?”

 Look at 2 pieces of bread. One piece has 14 whole grains (and 22 grams of carbs). The second piece has 2 whole grains and only 6 grams of carbs. Eat the second piece of bread.

 

“SO WHAT if I need is a formal guide to eating less carbs. Now what?”

Yes. I would recommend the South Beach Diet.

 

“SO WHAT do I do if I want someone I can talk to regarding my diet plan?”

Yes, I can recommend talking to registered dietitians in your area. For example there may be a number of grocery chains, or hospital groups in the area who employ dietitians. They will meet one on one with you to discuss your nutritional plan.

 

“SO WHAT should I do if I tried diet and exercise in the past and nothing works for me. For some reason, my metabolism just doesn't allow me to lose weight?”

 If you really believe that, then there is a bridge for sale across in Brooklyn that they will give you a good deal on! Do not focus on your weight. Just recognize if your clothes are feeling less tight? When you exercise, you are building more muscle weight and less fat weight. A cubic inch of muscle weight is heavier than a cubic inch of fat weight but it is leaner than fat. Also if you lose 1 or two pounds a month, you are exactly where you need to be.

 

“SO WHAT if I am on one of the new injectable weight loss meds? Am I losing weight?”
Yes! You will lose weight. Unfortunately, you also lose muscle mass on those meds. Now you MUST exercise, including lifting weights or you will lose your muscle mass. As you age, this will be a serious problem for your overall health.

 

Remember, for Good SPEM Health: 

Don't smoke or use tobacco. Limit your alcohol intake and always have regularly scheduled visits with your family doctor.  And, now that you have lost weight, buy some new clothes, or give yourself a treat that you will enjoy. You will look fantastic and have more energy than you have had in years!

 

 “SO WHAT you are doing is improving your SPEM Health?!” Keep the faith! God Bless, YOU!

In Good SPEM health!

Joseph W. Lista, MS, PA-C

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