Balanced Life

Many us live our lives like confined animals. Built to move, too often we put ourselves in a cage. We have bodies designed for racing across the savannas, but we live a life style designed for migrating from the bed to the breakfast table; to the car seat; to the office chair; to the restaurant booth; to the living room couch and back to the bed.

It wasn't always this way. Not long ago in the U.S., a man who worked on a farm did the equivalent of 15 miles of jogging every day; and his wife did the equivalent of 7 miles of jogging. Nowadays, our daily obligations of work and home keep us tied to our chairs, and if we want exercise, we have to seek it out.

All the same, that doesn't mean that a lap or two around the old high school track will offset a daily dose of donuts. Exercise alone is not very efficient, experts say. They contend that if you just exercise and do not change your diet, you may be able to prevent weight gain or even lose a couple of pounds for a while. 

Even so, it is not something that you're likely to sustain unless exercise is part of an overall program. The more regularly you exercise, the easier it's to maintain your weight. Here is what to do every day to make sure that you get the exercise you need.

Make certain that you get adequate sleep. Good sleep habits are conducive to exercise, experts point out. If you feel broken during the day, you're less likely to get much physical activity during the day.

Additionally, there's evidence that individuals who are tired tend to eat more, using food as a substance for the rest they need. It's probably the easiest exercise program of all. As a matter of fact, it may be all you ever have to do, according to some professional advices of some health experts.

Gradually build up to at least 30 minutes of brisk walking five times a week. Brisk walks themselves have health and psychological advantages that are well worth the while. When the weather is bad, you might not feel like going outdoors. But if you have a treadmill in the TV room, you can catch up on your favorite shows while you're doing your daily good turn for your weight-maintenance plan.

Most of us watch television anyway, and indoor exercise equipment enables anyone to turn a sedentary activity into a healthy walk. Excuses aside, lack of time is certainly a limiting factor in most lifestyles. That's why health experts suggest a basic guideline for incorporating exercise into your agenda.