16 Dec 2017 First place winners in fitness

by Karl Lenser

“Everyone is an athlete. The only difference is some of us are in training, and some are not.”
George Sheehan, M.D. and accomplished distance runner

Being a winner is something that many of us strive for at some point in our lives. In most competitive events, there are usually many more losers than winners as awards and prizes typically are distributed to the top finishers such as first, second and third place.

However, in the world of fitness, everyone is a winner. Performing some physical activity is better than nothing, and when you are moving, you are improving. You can achieve many health benefits no matter what your age or fitness level. Finding something that you enjoy doing is one of most important aspects of becoming physically active. Enjoyment and consistency are both major components in a successful fitness program.

As a fitness professional, I constantly remind my clients that they don’t have to spend hours of every day in a fitness center. Health benefits can be achieved by accumulating 150 minutes of physical activity each week. This amounts to 30 minutes per day for five days. The good news is that the 30 minutes can be accumulated in 3-by-10-minute blocks or 2-by-15, etc. It all adds up to better health!

The good news continues. You don’t need to go to a fitness center to get healthy. Walking in the great outdoors is refreshing and burns as many calories as walking on a treadmill. Cycling outdoors can also be done quite easily, but always make sure to wear a helmet and avoid the busy streets, if possible. Mowing the grass (assuming you are not using a riding mower), raking leaves, sweeping the driveway, gardening and taking your dog out for a walk all count as exercise. As was stated earlier, any activity is better than no activity.

It all boils down to making a change in one’s lifestyle. Being physically active and adhering to a diet that is low in fat and high in complex carbs is critical to a healthy lifestyle. Throw in some stress management to the equation and you will be embracing a strong, risk-reduction lifestyle that will enable you to live better and be a “wellness winner” every day.

A Conway resident, Karl Lenser is the employee wellness coordinator at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. An accomplished runner, he can be reached at [email protected].