Category Archives: other

Anatomy, physiology and aging, other

Increasing energy with exercise

Increasing energy with exercise:  How does exercise increase our energy?

VO2

Improving the fitness of the heart and lungs through cardiovascular/aerobic exercise increases our VO2.  The higher our VO2 the more efficient we become at creating energy for ourselves by combining oxygen with glucose to make ATP.

Heart

Increasing fitness will increase the strength of heart. The heart can work more efficiently, expelling more blood with each beat.  More blood = more oxygen which means fewer beats required for any activity that increases the heart rate.

Strength

When we improve the strength of our muscles we do not need to max out our muscular effort.  If we could only lift 10 lbs of groceries, and now we have increased our strength to be able to lift 15 lbs of groceries, the 10 lbs will seem easy, with less effort required.  Therefore, more “energy” will be left over for other activities. 

Endurance

The same goes for endurance of a muscle.  I had a colleague that was used to treating shoulder problems. She decided to help out on the post-operative floor getting patients out of bed.  Half way through the morning, her back was sore and she needed a break.  The endurance of her back muscles was not sufficient for the task at hand.  Her back muscles were out of gas before the morning was over.  

Flexibility and range of motion

Having the flexibility and range of motion needed for a task will help conserve our energy bank.  For example, if you sit a lot, and have tight hip flexors (quad/psoas), every time you try to stand straight, there will be some relative resistance to standing straight.  This ultimately results in an increased use of our extensors(back and hips) and may make standing straight more effortful.

Endorphins

Endorphins are released during exercise and can make us feel lighter and brighter on a physical and cognitive level . Endorphins can also decrease the experience of pain. This may result in a reduced level of stress, leaving more energy for other tasks.

Summary and support!

Exercise will increase your energy levels.

For more information, please visit my Facebook page with my (soon-to-be) exercise support group!!

Essentrics Online Group classes:

UPDATE! Wed @ 7pm (30 min Essentrics)

Sunday @ 10:30 (60 min Essentrics).

Sign up page here.

Until then, onward and upward!

Exercise evolution updates, other, Personal notes, Support

Exercise resolutions 2023

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Not sure where to start with your exercise resolutions 2023? No pressure. I will go first:

First, my exercise evolution update

With the exception of the last 7 days, my routine has been pretty consistent and I look forward to resuming and evolving my program in the new year. In short, I will be continuing with lunchtime cycling, after work stretch and strengthening (machine, body weight and theraband, primarily legs), twice weekly Essentrics® class(teach), teaching a new mini class Wednesday am, weekly HIIT online class with my exercise peeps, and walks to and from work (get the snowpants out!)

I have some more specific goals that are exercise related:

A) I want to retest my VO2 max with a step test (Modified Canadian Aerobic Fitness Test (mCAFT)). Not sure what VO2 is? Check this post.

B) I want to retest my heartrate level during my fitness classes to see if my past calculations on time spent in a moderate intensity zone is accurate.

C) And I am strongly considering the dabble. This involves an in person or perhaps online ballet class. It will be very interesting to see how the class feels as it has probably been about 12 years since I have stepped into a dance studio. In person would be ideal as well as my biggest challenge. I will keep you posted.

Now for you.

If you don’t have any ideas, check out some of my past posts:

Q: Would you like to find out where you are on the exercise and activity spectrum? If you know where you are, you might be able to envision where you want to go.

Q: What do you want, what do you need? Check out Exercise Specificity.

Q: Do you need a story to get the ideas flowing? I’ve got a couple: The evolution of a group exerciser and Keeping it real.

I am going to open up the comments so if you wish to post your exercise resolutions or activity plans for the 2023 please do. It can be simple or with some detail.

If you don’t have any resolutions, don’t worry. The beauty of exercise and physical activity is that you can start anytime you want. Whenever you are ready. Exercise is one of those things that for many of us has its ebbs and flows. No guilt required.

And if you need help, find some help. Follow up with your favorite health practitioner or fitness professional. Complete an activity readiness questionnaire if you have any concerns. I plan to provide you with more structure and support, so feel free to join my email list for further updates very soon!

Are you ready? Then get set! Let’s GO!!

Essentrics with Andrea

Activity readiness questionnaires;

Get Active Questionnaire

PAR-Q Online

Exercise program design, other, The practise, TIps

Exercise program design ABC’s

Exercise program design

Let’s talk about exercise program design! When you have decided to exercise, what next? Need a little structure? Check out the following ABC’s of exercise design. Use your current movement repertoire to fill in the blanks.

wArm up

Body of workout/main goal/target area/target activity

Cool down or release

Part A

Warm up:

Start with easy, repeated or rhythmic movements that are gentle and suitable to your current fitness level. To see where you stand on the exercise and activity spectrum, see post Are you evolving as an exerciser?

Your warm up may include using cardio equipment like like a stationary bike or treadmill. Your warm-up could also be components of your main workout done slower in a smaller, gentler range to start.

Use your warm up to transition your mind and begin directing your focus to your body and how it relates to the physical space around you. “Let go” of the tasks that you were recently involved in or one’s that you need to do later.

Vary the intensity, by changing the speed slightly or use progressively larger movements.

These are all options. You can do what works for you. If you are not sure, consult someone who should know how to help you find and narrow down your options.

Part B

“Body” of workout/target areas/target activity:

This part of your workout may be where your goals come in to play:

Do you want to get stronger, more flexible, less stiff, have more endurance, better posture, better cardiovascular fitness, or improved balance? Is increasing the amount of movement at a particular joint important to you? Do you need to relieve stress? Check out Exercise specificity: what do you need?

You could focus on a part of your body (upper body vs lower body, back body versus front, arms and legs, spine and core)

You can also look at specific workouts already out there that meet your needs (Pilates, Yoga, Barre, Zumba, HIIT, TRX, Spinning, Interval training, circuit training, Essentrics®, weights).

If you are not sure, talk to someone who should know (family doctor, chiropractor, trainer, physiotherapist, massage therapist, kinesiologist, naturopath, or other health care or fitness professional).

Part C

Cool down or release:

This could be a progressively slower version or less intense version of what you were just doing (you were jogging and now you will walk). Kind of like your warm-up but in reverse.

Often cool downs will include stretches of the muscles that were used in the workout, which could be static or dynamic stretches. A cool down allows the temperature of your body to decrease slowly and if you got your heart rate up, to slow it down gradually and allow the muscles to return to a normal level of circulation.

It may also be the time where you feel the most relaxed and released and if that is the case, go with the flow and stay focused on the here and now.

To stay in the moment, something like diaphragmatic breathing (belly breathing) can be used to center yourself and release even further.

The ABC’s of exercise program design!

For more information, join me Wednesday mornings at 9:00 on Facebook for an interactive livestream on all topics exercise. If you are interested in trying an Essentrics class, please see my sign-up page. And finally, watch for my fun “shorts” on You Tube!

Are you ready? Get set. Let’s move!

Exercise evolution updates, other

Exercise Evolution Update

Exercise Evolution Update

Before I give you my exercise evolution update, I just to let you know that I am livestreaming weekly on all topics exercise on Facebook!

Join me for “Tea & Exercise: Livestream Chat with Andrea” @andreanunnexercise Wednesday mornings at 9am on Facebook live

There will be a fun physical demo along with a brief chat. Follow my page on Facebook to keep up with future topics and updates!

Update

I haven’t published an exercise evolution update for awhile. The last one was back in January. I have adjusted my routine so I do at least a portion of my workout at lunch, which leaves more time available for other things in the evening.

I have maintained relative consistency in my frequency which, for me, is the most important thing. It’s easier to scale down and then back up versus falling off the wagon completely. I’d rather do a little less to suit my current schedule than nothing at all. Here is my latest weekly routine:

Lunchtime 4x per week: 22 minutes of cardio MT 80 (MT=minutes spent at moderate heart rate intensity. For more discussion on moderate heart rate intensity activity, see Moderate intensity exercise. Where do you find yourself? )

I have monitored my heartrate manually to make sure I get into my moderate heartrate zone, which is above 109 beats per minute.

Daily walks to and from work 25 min each.

Essentrics teaching 1hr 2x/week MT40

Saturday endurance/HIIT class MT 20

2x week weighted workout: leg press and ham curls plus step exercise, 12 minutes. I have not been diligent at keeping my heartrate up, but instead focusing on pain free movement.

2x week sliding lunges plus “glute medius” work in standing and side plank with theraband. Again, heartrate has not been focus but painfree motion and ideal alignment.

This week I developed some new choreography for my classes. This usually takes an additional 3-4 hours of intermittent activity.

So I am just under my the goal of 150 minutes of moderate exercise based on recommendations from CSEP Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults (ages 18-64 years). Now that I have re-assessed, I will figure out where I will make up that extra 10 minutes that I am missing! Keep it real and don’t worry if your routine doesn’t go exactly as planned! Get out into the activity sphere everyday and something will get done! Are you ready? Then let’s GO!

Check out my page Essentrics with Andrea if you are thinking about trying an online class. Join me @andreanunnexercise Wednesday mornings at 9am live on Facebook!

Data, other, The practise

Moderate intensity exercise. Where do you find yourself?

Moderate intensity exercise. Where do you find yourself? What does it take to accomplish this? My last post on exercise evolution and VO2 testing highlighted how much time I spent at a moderate level of intensity when exercising (MT). The point being was to accumulate 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous intensity level exercise, according to the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines set out by the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiologists for optimal health.

So how do you know if you are working at a moderate intensity? There are several ways to evaluate this. I found a nice chart in the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiologists Physical Activity Training for Health resource manual comparing the following different methods and their corresponding intensity levels.

Talk test:

If I am working at a moderate level I should be able to speak in short sentences only. Talking easily would qualify as “light” intensity.

Perceived exertion:

On a scale of 0 to 10 the moderate level ranges from 3-6/10. I find the scale of 0-10 difficult to discern for myself.

On a scale of 0-20 a score of 14-17/20 is considered moderate. Given my recent VO2 testing, and reaching 85 % of my predicted heart rate maximum, I rated my perceived exertion to be 17/20 in that moment of time. This was quite useful, as I recognize this level of exertion from the exercise that I already do. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, there is no denying it and it can’t be sustained for long periods of time.

Percentage of heart rate maximum

The goal would be 64-76% of your heart rate maximum required to be exercising at a moderate intensity.

Reality check anyone?

I compared my own perceptions of my exercise intensity against an objective measure (percentage of my heart rate maximum). For me moderate intensity is somewhere between 109 bpm(beats per minute) and 129 bpm.

Here is my update highlighting the time spent at a moderate level (MT) of exercise intensity in each activity on a weekly basis.

As you will see, it is significantly less than I had anticipated:

Daily walks: My maximum heart rate during those walks was 105. MT=0 (initial estimate  120 min/week. Whoopsy daisy!).

I re-evaluated the talk test on a second trial, and I wouldn’t say I could talk easily (light intensity), but I did not need to break up my sentences(moderate=”short sentences only”)

Treadmill jogging: 1 mile @ 5.3 mph 3-4 times/week. MT=40

Hip and knee strengthening plus stretching, abs: 12 out of 20 minutes 2-3 times/week at a moderate intensity. MT=36 (previous estimate 40)

Essentrics®: group exercise class (instructor) one hour 2 times/week. I took some old data from my heart rate monitoring app. 20 out of 60 minutes were at a moderate level of intensity. MT=40 (previous estimate 60 min/week)

HIIT style online class: 1 hour once weekly. 20 out of 60 minutes at a moderate level or more. MT=20 (previous estimate 30 minutes)

Stairs: 2 flights up/down at least once daily. It actually only takes 30 seconds to go up or down, not enough time for the heart rate to change much. MT=0 (previous estimate 21 min/week)

Back to reality

Goal: 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous intensity level exercise

Current time for moderate intensity level activity: 136 minutes per week.

If you look at my previous estimates, you will see how I over estimated my weekly time by more than double! That’s OK. I am still moving a lot. I just need to increase my effort a little bit more, here and there.

So what about my lighter intensity daily walks ? And what about the other 40 minutes of my Essentrics or HIIT classes? Strengthening and resistance training? Stairs?? Shouldn’t they count for something?

Well of course they do! Remember exercise specificity. What do you want and what do you need: improved strength, endurance, cardiovascular fitness, joint mobility and/or flexibility? Maybe you have other reasons to exercise. Check out my post on exercise specificity for further clarification of these terms with some examples provided.

If you are considering getting back into exercise or rounding out your routine, and you want to give Essentrics® a try, check out my Essentrics with Andrea page for more information.

Are you ready to move? OK, let’s go!

Cardio and VO2, Data, other, Personal notes, The practise

Exercise evolution update and VO2 testing

Here is my most recent exercise evolution update and VO2 testing. I haven’t tested myself for many years and I was curious to see if my exercise evolution to date has been sufficient to maintain my cardiovascular fitness.

In short, VO2 is a measure of your cardiovascular fitness. The better your VO2, the more physical activity you can do on any given day, and in terms of longevity, the more you move now will have a significant impact on what you can do as the years progress. 

I assessed my VO2 because I do not do a lot of extended “cardio” sessions. As you will see, my “cardio” efforts are not at a high level, but instead a multitude of moderate physical activities and modest durations. In addition, given my age, there is an anticipated decline every decade in your aerobic capacity starting in your 30’s or 40’s. I plan to be a “mover” for the rest of my life, so having a good aerobic capacity is essential in maintaining an active lifestyle.

The CSEP 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for adults 18 to 64 years, and adults 65+ include the following recommendations when it comes to physical activity:
  • Moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activities such that there is an accumulation of at least 150 minutes per week 
  • Muscle strengthening activities using major muscle groups at least twice a week
  • Several hours of light physical activities, including standing
  • For adults 65+ it was recommended to include balance activities
Here is my exercise evolution update

I have included updated values on time spent at a moderate intensity on a weekly basis (MT) in each activity. Want know what moderate intensity is? See my next blog here for further details on how it was calculated.

Daily walks: 25 minutes each, 8-10 times/week. I am probably moving at a light to moderate pace……no, not really. When tested, I do not reach moderate intensity levels. MT=0

Treadmill jogging: 1 mile @ 5.3 mph 3-4 times/week. MT=40

Hip and knee strengthening plus stretching, abs: 20 minutes 2-3 times/week. Moderate level 12 minutes x 3. MT=36

Essentrics: group exercise class (instructor) one hour 2 times/week: Moderate level 30% of the time MT=40

HIIT style online class: Once weekly moderate level 20 out of 60 minutes. MT=20

Stairs: 3 flights up/down at least once daily(30 sec each). MT=0

Standing: I stand frequently. Sitting much more that an hour at a time gets me fidgeting.

Total time weekly at moderate level or more=136.

I am a little embarrassed in that when I originally wrote this, I estimated 311 minutes/week. I was way off. But good to keep it real and know where there is room for improvement.

VO2 testing and results

I used the Modified Canadian Aerobic Fitness Test (mCAFT). It involves stepping up and down 2 steps(and sometimes one large step if you make it to the final stage), at progressively faster cadences. You calculate your heart rate max and then work through the progressive stages until you reach 85% of your maximum heart rate. Each stage is associated with an oxygen cost. Based on the stage you reach for your age group, you take the oxygen cost and input that into an equation that will give you your aerobic capacity result (VO2).

Well, I did well. I did not make it to the final stage. My perceived exertion by the end was approximately 17 out of 20. Part of the protocol is to check your blood pressure during recovery, which gratefully was better than expected.

So my result was 45 ml/kg-1/min-1 . My health benefit rating was excellent for my age range(50-59) and could be found in the excellent range for 30-39 year old’s. If I had made it to the last stage, my VO2 would have calculated to be 49 ml/kg-1/min-1. I would have then been in the Excellent 15-19 year old group. I will have to look into who the study sample was and how this came to be. In the meantime, I love finding out new info about myself that I can then re-assess at a later date for comparison. There are also other test protocols that I may try at a future date.

Until then, check out my Essentrics with Andrea page if you are thinking about being more active.

Alternatively, you can look at the structure of my current exercise evolution update and substitute your own activities that you currently engage in. You may be surprised as to how much you are doing for yourself.

Lastly, here is one more post on Keeping it real: physical fitness and VO2max. Movement no matter how small still rocks! Are you ready? Let’s GO!

other

Are you evolving as an exerciser?

Do you exercise the same way you did 10, 20 or 30 years ago? Has your program evolved into something new? Maybe your program is constantly changing. Maybe your daily physical activity level has taken a steep dive. Maybe you are not even sure what you are capable of doing anymore. Check out the exercise and physical activity spectrum below to assess where you are now and where you would like to go.

Where are you on the exercise and physical activity spectrum?

Option 1A: You have never exercised or paid any attention to physical fitness.

Option 1: You no longer exercise but used to be quite active and competent in your physical abilities. Now you are not sure where you are in your fitness level and you are not sure where to start.

Option 2: You exercise sporadically, in bouts. You get really good at getting started but within a short time things peter out or you hurt yourself.

Option 3: You don’t engage in formal exercise but challenge yourself with the occasional or regular walk, hike or other outdoor activity. The intensity level is more than a stroll in the park.

Option 4: You exercise or move regularly, but switch things up often. You are flexible with the activity you do, and have a lot of options to choose from depending on the day and how you feel. You may work with a trainer that likes to switch things up on you.

Option 5: You exercise regularly and are doing pretty well at what you have always done. You are a clock that doesn’t stop ticking. You are routine to the core.

Things to consider depending on where you are on the spectrum of exercise and physical activity:

Wherever you are on the spectrum, the most important thing is that you decide that you are going to move. Sedentary activities often dominate our current lifestyles and even more so now.

Exercise and physical activity affects the health of not just our cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems. Metabolism, digestion, hormones, cognition and emotional health can all be impacted by a lack of movement in our daily lives.

Exercise programs that evolve according to your needs will more likely be meaningful and sustainable. If you are considering something new or are exploring options, check out my online Essentrics® class.

Are you ready? Let’s GO!
Anatomy, physiology and aging, other, The practise

Exercise specificity: What do you need?

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When it comes to exercise specificity, start by asking yourself: “What do I want” from my exercise program? Do you want better posture, to be more flexible, to decrease stress levels or improve heart and lung fitness? If you are not sure where to start, and feel there are too many options to choose from, you may want to consult with an exercise specialist to guide you on the path of specificity.

If you can identify activities or tasks that you would like to be able to accomplish or do better, this will help you and your specialist to figure out what will give you the results you want. Exercise may not be the answer to all of your problems, but it is one of the few modalities whose benefits go beyond just physical fitness. “I just want to get fit” is a great goal, but knowing what you mean by getting fit will help you to define and ultimately refine your exercise goals.

Strength,
Endurance,
Cardiovascular fitness,
Joint mobility,
Flexibility, …

What do you want? What do you need?

If you know what your end goal (or intermediate goal) is then it may fall under one or all of the categories listed above.

Here are examples of what each category represents:

Strength: You want to be able to do a push up. You think it would be great if you could do 10 regular push ups.

Endurance: To be able to stand in the kitchen and bake for 2 hours without pain and without feeling exhausted

Cardiovascular fitness: You want to be able to jog a mile and and be able to breathe at the same time

Joint mobility: Making kneeling for short periods of prayer possible

Flexibility: You want to be able to touch your toes from standing

It’s never too late to try something new

Here are examples of what I do for myself to address the above categories:

Strength: lower body “slider’ lunge series as well as lower body weight training.

Endurance: daily walks to and from work. Continuous non stop workouts like circuits or interval training.

Cardiovascular fitness: steady state running on treadmill or outdoors. Alternate stationary cycling. Interval training is also an option here too.

Joint mobility: ankle mobility exercise using a step

Flexibility: Essentrics is an exercise program where I am able to perform many combined movements and sequences which can address flexibility along muscular or fascial “chains”.

Simplifying exercise specificity

Here is an example to pull it all together.

GOAL:

You are recovering from knee replacement surgery. You are 3 months out. In another 3 months time is your grand daughter’s wedding and you want to be an integral part of the ceremony and reception. Standing and walking for several hours at a time is likely. Navigating on uneven ground is a given (it’s an outdoor ceremony on grass). You will be helping with the organization of the reception, which require you to climb a small set of stairs numerous times. You may need to carry some lighter items like wine bottles, if the server runs out.

CURRENT STATUS:

You have already been climbing stairs daily but only once or twice as needed. You still need the railing and sometimes need to use a cane as well. Twice weekly you go out for a walk with your friend Pat. Pat’s pace makes you move a little faster than you would on your own, for approximately 45 minutes. You usually take 2 canes to help you keep up. You don’t spend much time on grass.

PLAN:

Based on this description, you would probably need your exercise routine to focus on lower body endurance for standing, walking and stairs. You likely will have some strength gains to be made, to improve your stair performance and ability to walk safely without support (especially if you need to carry a bottle or two). The other focus may be cardiovascular fitness, so you can last the entire day without feeling significantly tired. This will be important as the wedding day progresses, as your risk of falls on grass is higher than it would be on level surfaces. Your ability to make good choices and move with care will be affected by your energy levels. Check out Keeping it real: Physical fitness and VO2max for more on cardiovascular fitness.

Exercise specificity

So as you can see, there could be many layers to “getting fit” so finding what is specifically important to you will make both the the work of exercise and the gains made from exercise that much more meaningful. And remember, any daily intentional physical activity, like your walks with Pat, will be part of your plan. Take all the help you can get, and start making the changes that will truly have an impact how you live and feel. It’s worth it. So let’s GO!

Essentrics with Andrea

other, The practise

Sustainable physical activity programs.

Sustainable physical activity programs. What does this mean?

We all move at a level to suit our needs. But our needs can vary and so may our relative physical fitness. Do you want to be a step ahead so you can continue to enjoy all the things you like doing? Have you given up a favorite physical activity because of a lack of fitness?

The beauty of the physical body is it’s ability to heal and adapt, grow and shrink. So you can ask almost anything from it and it will perform. Especially when you help it get there in a sustainable manner.

So what makes up a sustainable physical activity program?

A sustainable physical activity program is one that allows for relative rest.

A) Doing the same thing everyday may produce muscular imbalances. There really is no perfectly balanced program. What we ask of ourselves on a daily basis can evolve and so should our exercise programs. Finding balance is a high order, but we can use our bodies signals to guide the process.

B) Relative rest means that everyday is not a high intensity day. Generally, movement like walking or gentle stretches may be more beneficial on some days.

A sustainable physical activity program is one that is practical/feasible

Time. If you are doing a class that starts at 5pm but you rarely finished before 5pm, this may be a bad way to start. Anticipate your time requirements accurately so you don’t have a built in excuse to not follow through.

Money. You don’t need to join a gym or pay for classes necessarily. Finding free videos on the internet is not a problem. It’s is finding what you want that may be difficult. Take five minutes at lunch each day this week and do a search. Bookmark the site page for later.

Alternately, find an activity that doesn’t require any thought other than getting dressed. Walking is free. Make it more enjoyable by listening to a podcast or to music. Build it into your day, like walking home from work, or take a brisk 15 minute walk at lunch time.

Equipment. If there is a gadget or piece of equipment that inspires you, can you borrow it or get a loaner before investing? Some gyms will bring their equipment to your door. Therabands, mats, weights, and exercise balls are easy to find.

Location. If the class you love is on the other side of town, look locally. Once we can return to gyms and studios easily, check out what is convenient, and even better, walking distance. Jumping in the car to drive to a class may add that extra barrier.

Weather. If you are outdoorsy, hopefully you know how to dress for the weather. Investing in the outerwear that makes sense will get and keep you outside exercising longer and more frequently. This will require a small investment if you live in winter climates.

A sustainable physical activity program is one that has meaning and is enjoyable

For exercise to have meaning you may have to dig deep and remind yourself of at least one positive benefit of having sustained an exercise program on a regular basis for a reasonable duration. Do you have a short term or long term goal? Is it overall fitness and energy levels that you wish to improve? Do you need to improve your health and become less sedentary?

Visualize yourself in the future after having successfully maintained a daily exercise program for a significant duration. How would you look and feel? Does improved physical fitness have an impact on other areas of your life? What would be different from then compared to now?

Increase your enjoyment by partnering up

One way to make it more enjoyable is to do it with a partner. The added benefits of working out with a friend or acquaintance increases the accountability factor. It provides a social interaction that is directed by exercise. Even if you are not doing the same program, can you do it in a similar space or online together? Consider sending an email invite or placing a Facebook post looking for an online partner. You may be surprised who is up for it.

Find a way to evaluate yourself or get some feedback

Can you commit to a group exercise class once a week? Check out the following posts on group exercise and how to choose a group exercise class. And get to know your instructor. Tell them what you like and what is difficult for you. In most cases, they will happily take and give feedback, providing them with an opportunity to show you modifications, progressions, or corrections on your technique. Another way to get feedback is to work one on one with a trainer or other health professional depending on your needs and resources. Your understanding of how to exercise effectively will increase the degree of intention behind each work out, making it more interesting and beneficial.

If pain is not the goal, exclude it

Pick something that you know you can accomplish without injury or pain. If you are laid up for 2 days post workout does this fit in with your goals of being active on a regular basis? If you experience discomfort, can your technique be improved? Maybe you can break the workout down into parts, and gradually add on new material as your fitness improves. If a pain problem persists, check in with someone who you know will be able to answer your questions.

Get in tune with how your body feels

Find something that makes you feel good. Maybe your good feeling doesn’t come until later in the day following a workout. It’s possible that it is the next day when you experience some sort release or positive benefit. Be in tune with your body and make connections with what you do and how it makes you feel. Get hooked on regular sustainable exercise and physical activity. It easier than you think.

Essentrics with Andrea

other, The practise, TIps

Getting motivated to exercise: Strategies to get yourself going

Exercise may not be easy. Getting motivated to exercise may be even more challenging. If you are feeling low on motivation, read on for ways to deal with those pivotal moments. To move or not to move? How do we find just enough spark to get us going on those days where leaving it until tomorrow seems like the best option, even though we know it’s not…

Here are some strategies to get ready, set and go. Run through these options before deciding to throw the towel in:

Turn your excuses upside down

I started evaluating my week thus far and what I had already accomplished. I had done a HIIT run 2 days prior, a weighted workout the day before. I didn’t want to repeat either but I wanted to exert myself beyond a few stretches. I couldn’t use the stationary bike because my right kneecap was still bugging me. I tried to stream a recorded exercise program but it didn’t work. Finding excuses not to exercise comes with little effort. I know the pattern. Give yourself enough time and you can talk yourself out of anything. I flipped the switch and threw the excuses out of the window.

Use music to inspire or improvise

Even though my list of options was apparently limited, I finally decided to look at my playlist for my Sunday’s Essentrics class and made a rough new playlist of songs. Then I improvised. I allowed the music to lead me. I had a loose structure of what I wanted to do, but I essentially allowed myself to “wing it”. If you have exercised before, you can probably string a few activities together to create a workout. If you like music, use it. Everything doesn’t need to be so set and directed. I made it through a workout and didn’t allow the perceived barriers to limit me.

Get your get up on and get over it

One of my colleagues revealed to me one of her ways of getting motivated to exercise. She wears her exercise clothes under her work clothes. One, it’s a constant reminder and two, it eliminates just one more step towards getting started. It’s winter now so the extra layers are possible. Shorts and t-shirt under her pants and whatever she had on top. She left her dress socks on and didn’t bother to change to sweat socks. Her layered get up provided just enough to get over any procrastination and into the exercise arena. My related strategy is to get changed even if I don’t have a plan and then I just get started. No questions asked.

Pick the right duration

The right duration is the one you know you can complete. What is the minimum amount of time required? Do you require a costume change? If you only have a certain amount of time like 30 minutes, make your exercise goal realistic (20 minutes) so you don’t trash it because of apparent time constraints.

Pick the best time of day

If you have committed to starting a new routine, when will you most likely get it done? Be really honest. If you are generally not early to rise, why bother setting the alarm at 5:30 am for a one hour work out. Really? Maybe 30 minutes is more realistic and incorporated into your day just prior, during, or immediately after work or errands. If you like exercising in the evening, maybe commit to an online class or schedule an online workout with a friend. Don’t count on finding that whim to get going later on. If you are saying to yourself, “I’ll do it later”, then do it now.

Try freestyling

Take at least one 15 minute break from whatever you are doing and walk from one end of the building to the other or get outside and go around the block.

Figure out what you like to do and why you are doing it

Increase your success of getting motivated to exercise by finding a form of physical activity that is more than just tolerable. If you really hate lifting weights then find something better for you to do. Do you want to feel fitter, lose or maintain your weight, improve your outlook, or relieve yourself from stress? Do you have a sore neck and back from prolonged sitting? Are you finding it harder to do the things you love because you don’t have the energy or mobility?

Whatever your goals are exercise has a lot of fringe benefits. I have multiple reasons why I exercise. Most of all, I want to move with the same ease as I do now for the rest of my life. Challenging myself on a daily basis makes the process easier. Give yourself a physical activity challenge everyday and “give in” to moving.

Essentrics with Andrea