Exercise is Not Enough

By Raquel "Rocky" Herron, Fitness Manager

	Raquel "Rocky" Herron, Fitness Manager

What do I mean when I say that exercise is not enough?  I'm simply saying that there's more to the "fit equation" than just hitting the gym several times per week.  I wish that all we had to do was show up and get a workout in, but that's just not the case.  There are several components that aid in achieving optimal health.  While the definition of "optimal health" differs from person to person, there are some key factors associated with leading a healthy lifestyle.

 

Even though I said exercise is not enough, I do want to start with this concept, as it is vital in our quest for health.  Exercise is definitely an essential component in the health matrix.  We were born to move.  I put exercise into two categories: structured exercise (i.e. gym sessions) and daily physical activity (walking the dog, casual bike rides, yard work).  How many times per week should you engage in structured sessions?  According to an article written in the New York Times from a study in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, four structured exercise sessions per week seem to be the key for optimal results.  This study included strength training and cardiovascular work.  On "off" days, staying active from a leisure perspective is ideal.

Sleep!  Please, get your zzzzz's.  It's so important for maintaining a healthy, active life.  When we are low on sleep, our bodies cannot repair properly.  We can't wake up and give 100% when we're sleep deprived.  According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night.  If you're waking up after five hours and wondering why you can't function properly, you may be low on sleep.  Plus, sleep provides a time for our brains to turn off and not worry about the stressors of the day.

Stress you say?  Stress plays a HUGE role in our overall health.  In an ideal world, we wouldn't have stress, but the reality is that our lives seem to be full of it!  Every day, there are stressors upsetting our hormonal balance that in turn directly affect our health.  Whether it's job related, kids, or other issues, stress is everywhere.  There are many ways to help deal with stress.  See above and below, as these recommendations all help manage stress.

Now, on to what constitutes one of the biggest pieces of the health puzzle, and that's nutrition.  As a side note, I am NOT a nutritionist or a dietician.  This is merely my opinion on how nutrition plays an integral part in our overall health.  However, I do now a nutritionist and she's great, but more on that later.

There's a saying in the fitness industry, "you can't out exercise a bad diet."  There's a great deal of truth in that statement.  Exercise does not give us a green light to eat whatever we want, whenever we want.  Believe me, I wish ice cream everyday was a good idea, but it's probably not.  There are exceptions to that rule, can we say Michael Phelps?  Most of us are not Olympic athletes, so we are not going to train and or eat like one.  Most of us are just trying to keep off unwanted pounds and stay fit for ourselves, our families, and to have an great quality of life.  Good nutrition is essential for overall health and well-being.  Quality fuel provides the necessary nutrition our bodies need to run optimally.  

Remember the nutritionist I mentioned earlier?  Her name is Megan O'Reilly and it just so happens that she's on staff here at Pearce and her nutrition course, Food Choices Matter, is starting May 11!  Megan will provide you with the necessary tools to navigate the world of food!  Megan will help guide you down the right nutrition path for your lifestyle.  She'll separate fact from fiction and help you learn to decipher food labels and eat right for YOU.

 

While we'll never achieve perfect health, as perfection is an allusion, we can take steps to reach optimal health, or at least, our own individual definition of health.  Staying active by engaging in structured exercise and everyday physical activity, getting adequate sleep, managing stress, and aiming for good quality nutrition are just some of the ways that we can improve our health.  We don't live life in a vacuum, so don't worry when a week goes by and you haven't seen the gym or a vegetable, with the latter being a bit extreme!  Just try to get back on track and be as consistent as possible.  Stay strong, stay focused, and love life!