Most people know that regular exercise has a lot of benefits. In the long term, regular exercise can help prevent heart attacks, stroke, and diabetes Ð some of the biggest health problems in the country. But regular exercise has other short term benefits too. Regular exercise can make it easier for you to carry your grocery bags, play with your children or grandchildren, and make you look better and feel better about yourself. While most of us know that exercise is a good thing, the idea of starting an exercise program can be intimidating. It’s often hard to know where to start and hard to imagine fitting it into a busy schedule.

Well there’s good news. New guidelines from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Heart Association, and the American College of Sports Medicine and others emphasize moderate regular exercise. In other words, exercise doesn’t necessarily have to be vigorous or intense to provide benefit. Moderate exercise, like brisk walking, can bring about health benefits if done most days of the week. Even normal daily activities can add up. You get health benefits from taking out the trash, gardening, and mowing the lawn. Even if you feel like you have no time, or even if you’ve never exercised before, there’s an exercise program out there that will fit into your schedule and help make you healthier and feel better.

How do you start? For many people, a good place to start is with a visit to the doctor. Most people under age 50, who don’t have any medical problems, and don’t smoke can begin moderate exercise without seeing a doctor. But other people should check with their doctor before starting an exercise program. People with risk factors for heart disease, people older than 50, people with asthma or people who smoke should check with their doctor. Also check with your doctor if you’ve had discomfort in your chest during exercise, you become more short of breath than others your age doing the same activity, you experience lightheadedness with exertion or you are easily fatigued with mild exertion. Dr. Fraser at the Soldotna Medical Clinic is one of the doctors on the Kenai Peninsula who can help you decide if it’s ok for you to start doing moderate exercise.

After your check-up, the next step will be to assess your fitness and design your program. Your doctor can help with this as well. In general it is important that your fitness program include four components: aerobic capacity, strength, flexibility, and weight control. It’s also important to have some sort of written schedule to help you stay on track and to start slowly and build up gradually as you become more accustomed to exercise.

For your fitness to improve, you need to exercise regularly. Try for a minimum of 30 minutes of low to moderately intense physical activity on most days of the week. If you don’t have time, one idea is to work exercise into your regular schedule. For example, when possible walk or bike instead of driving. Try to choose recreation that involves moving the large muscles in your arms and legs — dancing is a good example. Brisk housework can be moderate exercise. Jumping rope during television commercials is another idea. Develop a pattern, keep track of your exercise and stick with it.

Exercise gives benefit to young and old. Even if you’ve never exercised before, there is an exercise program out there that you can do that will help you live longer and feel better.

To schedule an appointment, call Dr Fraser at 262-5115