So what is it that you want to change this year?  Mine of course is moving my body!  It is pretty obvious that regular exercise is a crucial part of physical and emotional fitness.  So why is it is hard for me to do it?

When I think about the benefits versus the challenges that occur if I do not do it, it certainly is a wake-up call.

Did you know that at least half of all American adults have a chronic illness (with 3/4 of the more than $2 trillion spent last year on health care to cover these same chronic conditions)? I just read a recent study in the Archives of Internal Medicine of over 20,00 Germans, which found that non-smokers who maintain a healthy weight, healthy diet and exercise 30 minutes a day lower their risk of of developing diabetes by 93%, heart attack by 81%, stroke by 50% and cancer by 36%, compared to people who have not integrated any of these factors (healthy weight, healthy diet and exercise) into their lives!  When I think about exercise ~ it is actually a tool to even better handle stress, which of course we all could use.  And we all know how stress, particularly chronic stress, has serious consequences on our health.

Dr. Dean Ornish, founder and chairman of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute, states, “We need to focus on living better. If you have a healthy lifestyle, you are more likely to look better, feel better, lose weight and gain health, as well as to smell better, taste better and love better!”  Who would not want that?

Physical activity also helps not only strengthening the bones and heart but also teaches balance, which is critical in preventing the falls that have become a leading cause of death as we age.  My own sister-in-law lost her life by a simple fall.  She was only 65.  It has been said that if you cannot walk a quarter-mile in 5 minutes, your chance of dying within 3 years is 30% greater than that of faster walkers!  Dr. Oz recommends at least 3 30-minute workouts weekly ~ and break a sweat as well as  adding a half hour per week of weight lifting and another half hour of stretching.   One of my favorite sites is here ~ Lisa Sansome is a walker and has various routines to get you walking at home.   She has several options but begins at a simple mile and work you up to her 5 mile walk right in your own home.  Chair exercises are a great option as well.

Okay ~ so now I am committed.  I have my calendar marked off and I am ready to begin this brand new year with exercise every day!  Won’t you join me?  I am also on a great “restart” with the program pictured below.   Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/joanne_p_estes/  as I embark on my “5 Day Reset”  beginning January 6th thru 10th!   If interested, ask me about it.   Happy New Year!

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