It's been a while since I've posted. No, I haven't been lazy. I've been movin'!.......Got ya! Not movin' away-movin' in place! That's a good excuse right? We're exercising! The Rocks have always been outdoorsy and active, since even before we were The Rocks. Now we're focussed on making it part of our daily family routine for good health. (BTW, the family is aka "The Rocks" Rodgers.)
Regular exercise seems like an obvious thing to do for good health, but how many of us actually have a regular exercise routine? And follow it? Here's why I think it's vital.
Regular exercise seems like an obvious thing to do for good health, but how many of us actually have a regular exercise routine? And follow it? Here's why I think it's vital.
1. What's good for the heart is good for the brain. Good heart and brain health has been my motivation for veganism. I've been given the opportunity to change my lifestyle and start preventative measures for good health with every choice I make. I've been consciously thinking about each meal and how I use my time to benefit my new lifestyle. So why not do the same with exercise? I know that by changing my lifestyle, I am changing the entire family's habits.
Exercise shouldn't be a burden, it should be part of everyday life. A nature walk, walking with friends, a bike ride etc. Research has shown that exercise, especially endurance exercise, has been known to improve cognitive function, such as awareness or memory recall. According to the Alzheimer's association:
Exercise shouldn't be a burden, it should be part of everyday life. A nature walk, walking with friends, a bike ride etc. Research has shown that exercise, especially endurance exercise, has been known to improve cognitive function, such as awareness or memory recall. According to the Alzheimer's association:
"It is most effective when done regularly, and in combination with a brain-healthy diet, mental activity and social interaction."
2. What's good for the heart, is also good for blood sugar control, which is in turn, is good for the brain. .....See the connection here! Exercise after eating can also help control your blood sugar. I learned that when I had gestational diabetes with my son. Since part of good brain health is also keeping your blood sugar under control, that is a plus! Here's a recent article on Web MD about it. (I'll be blogging more about Type 3 diabetes or brain related diabetes in future.)
2. What's good for the heart, is also good for blood sugar control, which is in turn, is good for the brain. .....See the connection here! Exercise after eating can also help control your blood sugar. I learned that when I had gestational diabetes with my son. Since part of good brain health is also keeping your blood sugar under control, that is a plus! Here's a recent article on Web MD about it. (I'll be blogging more about Type 3 diabetes or brain related diabetes in future.)
All this makes sense and sounds like where I need to be headed. Nothing about these changes seems like work and it really shouldn't. At least that's what my Newsfeed told me this morning in Dr. Hyman's post.
So here's a few things The Rocks are doing to make exercise part of our lifestyle.
Fit bit flex
Fit bit flex
So I am taking my techy husband's lead and I'm going to wear a fit bit. For those of you who don't know what that is, check it out. www.fitbit.com. I tested his out (now he's getting the force) and it made me aware of my daily routine. I started to compete with myself. I guess we will compete with each other. Justin in an office setting, and me, chasing Arlo. I've devised ways to increase the number of steps I take. I even started to move my feet while I was washing dishes, parking further away from the stores in a parking lot, etc. So our family daily goal will be 10,000 steps. This is equivalent to about 5 miles. Sounds like a lot, but once you track it, and think about meeting your goal, it's easier than you think.
Bike Riding
I'm hoping to continue this throughout the winter. We got a bike seat for Arlo and we've done some great bike riding this season. Although I'm not much of a challenge for Justin's fitness level, it's an enjoyable family activity. Arlo loves the scenery and the fresh air. He picked leaves and held them the entire ride last time we went.
I'm also using Map my walk app on the iPhone to track the workouts I'm doing. I'd like to start using the C25k app soon.
That's a summary of The Rocks, 10,000 steps a day to good health!
I'm hoping to continue this throughout the winter. We got a bike seat for Arlo and we've done some great bike riding this season. Although I'm not much of a challenge for Justin's fitness level, it's an enjoyable family activity. Arlo loves the scenery and the fresh air. He picked leaves and held them the entire ride last time we went.
I'm also using Map my walk app on the iPhone to track the workouts I'm doing. I'd like to start using the C25k app soon.
That's a summary of The Rocks, 10,000 steps a day to good health!