Exercise is good for your health. You probably have heard that before.
But finding the motivation to start or maintain an exercise program can be challenging. Mayo Clinic's Dr. Michael Joyner has six tips to help keep you moving.
Sometimes, it's hard to get off the couch and exercise.
"The important thing is to do something. And to also not permit what you cannot do _ or what you're afraid of doing _ to interfere with what you can do," Joyner says.
No.1: Again, start with what you can do.
"Whether it's walking, riding a bike, aerobic exercise in the pool."
No. 2: Don't think you have to run a marathon or be an elite athlete.
"People start to see benefits in terms of their health with as little as 10 to 15 minutes a day."
No. 3: Build exercise into your day. Take the stairs or park in the back of the parking lot. No. 4: Schedule exercise into your day as if it were an appointment. No. 5: Get a workout buddy. And No. 6, which is key: ...
"... Don't set unrealistic goals and get into a cycle of, 'I'm not meeting my goals. I'm a failure; therefore, I'll stop.'"
And remember, anytime you exercise at any level, you're doing something good for your health.
