Dear NP

Dear NP,

Since spring is in the air and many of us are working from home due to COVID-19, I would think it is the perfect time to start an exercise regimen. What are the key steps to starting and maintaining an exercise regimen and the benefits of aerobic exercise to our health? M. S.

Dear M. S.,

The sun may be shining again after the long, cold winter, but sprinting right into your new exercise program might be a recipe for injury. It’s important to take it slow – starting at square one. If you haven’t exercised lately (very common for those of us with desk jobs), talk to a health care provider before starting any new fitness regime.

When the health care provider approves your health for exercise, start slow. Walking and stretching are great options at this point and can help prepare you for casual sports like jogging, tennis or even golf. It can be a long process, but warming up is very important to reduce your risk of injury.

The time spent will be well worth it. Preparing your body for spring sports makes you well prepared for a lot of good physical activity during the summer months. And once you’ve started this trajectory, you can maintain it for next winter. Overall, the best way to maintain fitness is to exercise a small amount every day of the year, regardless of weather.

I suggest a three-step approach to your workout:

• Warmup: A 5-10 minute warmup session will slowly get the cardiovascular system pumping and improve blood flow to your muscles. One good idea for this is to do a lower-intensity version of whatever workout you plan to do. So, if you plan to go for a jog – start with a walk.

• Conditioning: This is the bulk of the workout. At your own pace, you should be getting at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per day to increase your heart rate, depth of breathing and endurance. The better your conditioning is, the better your performance will be down the line.

• Cooldown: It’s not always safe to just stop exercising, so 5-10 minutes of cooldown will help prevent injury. For cardio workouts, stretch your calf muscles, upper thighs (quadriceps or quads), hamstrings, chest and lower back. It’s important to stretch these muscle groups after working out to give your heart rate and muscles time to return to normal.

While those steps are great for individual sessions, here are some ideas to help you reach your long-term goals.

Set realistic goals. The human body is incredible, but it is not infinitely strong. Commit to small-term goals at first, like working out two or three times a week. After you get into a routine, start building up until you work your way back to where you were pre-winter. The same rule applies for results. You can’t expect to start working out in April and be running a marathon by Memorial Day.

Choose what works for you. Think about your individual goals, abilities, and time commitments when you are choosing your workout regime. Do you want to focus on full-body general fitness? Or would you like to work on a specific body part? For weight loss, full-body workouts are best, especially when you use more than one muscle group at a time. Because these workouts are more efficient, this also means fewer gym days.

Fuel your body properly. Even if you are trying to lose weight, don’t skimp on food. What’s important is making sure you are eating the right foods. Focus on nutrition rather than simply cutting calories. And if your workouts are making you feel at all dizzy or lightheaded, this is a sign of dehydration or not eating enough before exercise and can be very dangerous.

Regardless of your goals, aerobic exercise is great for your body

Aerobic simply means “with oxygen.” So aerobic exercise is any exercise that elevates your heart rate and gets you breathing heavily, maximizing the amount of oxygen in the blood.

Aerobic exercise improves your aerobic capacity, or how efficiently your body uses oxygen. Higher aerobic capacity means your respiratory and circulatory systems use oxygen more efficiently, giving you more energy throughout the day.

Aerobic exercise can:

• Strengthen your heart and muscles

• Burn calories

• Control your appetite

• Release endorphins in the brain, boosting mood

• Improve sleep

• Reduce pain and stiffness from arthritis by moving joints

• Manage and reduce the risks for high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes

No matter what your age, weight, or fitness goals, aerobic exercise will help you in your daily activities and increase your stamina and endurance.

Dr. Wesley Davis is an Emergency Nurse Practitioner at Crook County Medical Services District and Coordinator of the Family and Emergency Nurse Practitioner program at the University of South Alabama. He encourages readers to send their questions to [email protected]