Shake it up to add it up! New study shows variety may be the key to getting enough exercise minutes
Shake it up to add it up! New study shows variety may be the key to getting enough exercise minutes
by James E. “Jed” Foster, Jr., MA, LMFT
Shake it up to add it up! New study shows variety may be the key to getting enough exercise minutes, by James E. “Jed” Foster, Jr., MA, LMFT
Whether you came to Comprehensive Gastrointestinal Health for GI issues or weight management, you’ve definitely heard every member of the team singing the praises of exercise. On the behavioral side, exercise is wonderful for mood elevation and stabilization. It’s a healthy tool for anxiety and managing stress, and the benefits of engaging in physical activity at least 3 or 4 times a week are undeniable. However, for many of us the thought of doing the same thing over and over can be a deterrent. For example, if I was relegated to walking on a treadmill, I simply wouldn’t do it that often. Why? It’s boring. The treadmill I bought to make up for the loss of a gym membership in the COVID era has been used about 3 times in 3 months. Those 3 workouts occurred due to excessive heat outside or because of the threat of being struck by lightning. In those 3 months, I had a total of 58 recorded workouts. 60% were outdoor walks, 33% were tennis or pickleball, and the remaining percentage were “other.” In that 3-month period, I watched my weekly workout minutes skyrocket. If it wasn’t for my Apple Watch, I wouldn’t have even known that I went from averaging 30 minutes per day to today averaging 76 minutes per day. That number was shocking to me, because I did it without really even trying. So how did that happen?
I believe that my workout minutes have skyrocketed because I have several physical activities that I love that have become more than habits: they’ve become rituals. If I don’t do them, I just feel off…something is missing. How did they go from idea to habit to ritual? Simple. Repetition and enjoyment. My walking ritual took off with COVID. I simply needed to get out of the house and off of the computer screen. My wife usually joins me, and we rarely discuss anything heavy…we just walk and enjoy being together. Tennis and pickleball scratch a competitive itch and are also a way to see other people without having to break social distancing standards. My wife also plays, as do our children from time-to-time, so it gives us all a chance to get out and get moving together (and it’s a lot of fun to show the kids that we’re still better athletes than they are!). These physical activities have become a part of our family culture, so it isn’t uncommon for my wife and I to have a morning 3-mile roundtrip walk to Starbucks and have a conversation about playing pickleball after work. It’s become the norm. This doesn’t happen every day, but it’s getting close, which is why those average active minutes shot up so quickly without me noticing. Try diversifying the physical activities in your routine and see what happens to YOUR exercise minutes!
Check out this article from the Washington Post about a recent study showing how having multiple activities to engage in will result in higher rates of activity. It’s a nice life-hack to enjoy more of the mental and physical benefits of exercise.
If you have an interest in optimizing your wellness or would like to learn more about our comprehensive weight management program, visit compgihealth.com or call 224.407.4400! As a reminder, our program includes a dietitian, physical therapist/fitness consultant, behavioral counselor, and nurse practitioner – very frequently all services are COVERED BY INSURANCE! Just let us know if you are interested and we would be happy to find out your specific coverage details!