Exercise is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. Regardless of the type of health problem you have, you’ll be further along the road to recovery if you start doing any kind of exercise on a regular basis. Every bodily system that has been studied has been shown to improve in function with simple exercise. 

Aerobic exercise was the first really effective and medically documented approach to exercise, and provides the greatest enhancement to health. However, aerobics is not best for meeting all health goals, and other exercises may be done alongside or instead of aerobics. Each type of exercise has varying effects and benefits, so it’s important to choose the right kind of exercise to address your health goals.

Athletes, who of course already exercise sufficiently, would benefit from adding the other two parts of the Wellness Program, Skilled Relaxation and Perfectly Whole Foods Diet, to their training.

Aerobics is any extended physical activity that increases heart rate and breathing while using the large muscle groups at a regular, even pace. Aerobics makes you healthy by increasing your metabolic efficiency. Metabolism is the interactive combination of chemical, electromagnetic, and structural reactions in the body. Aerobics improves both the aerobic and anaerobic metabolic pathways in the body. Other types of exercise include the broad categories of non-aerobic (anaerobic) exercise, strengthening exercise, and flexibility exercise. There are many varieties of exercise in each category. New exercise methods and combinations are being invented all the time. There are many possibilities and ways to find exercise opportunities. 

To begin exercising, choose one or more activities that you like, and just begin. One of the keys to success in an exercise program is to have fun and enjoy it!

If you have not exercised for a long time or have been very ill and are weak, you can start with five or ten minutes of simple exercises like walking or rebounding (gentle bouncing on a mini-trampoline). Doing any these exercises once or several times a day will slowly start to build up your strength.

People who are stronger can choose any enjoyable activity that is reasonably comfortable. If you wish to begin aerobics, a general guideline is 20 minutes, three times a week (not including warm-up and cool-down time).

Exercising on a regular schedule is most beneficial. Remember it will take some time for your body to become used to this, so do not overdo it at the beginning. If you feel pain or discomfort during or after exercise, see a sports medicine practitioner or general physician.

NOTE: if you are over age twenty and wish to start aerobics or any type of exercise that affects the heart rate, check with your doctor to see if you need a stress test before beginning your exercise program.

Most people start to feel better almost immediately when they begin to exercise regularly. Some people may experience sore muscles, depending upon the exercise chosen. 

For more information about Right Exercise for You, read Recapture Your Health: A Step-by-Step Program to Reverse Chronic Symptoms and Create Lasting Wellness by Walt Stoll, MD and Jan DeCourtney, CMT.  If you have questions about your exercise, you may post your question on the bulletin board at www.askwaltstollmd.org.

The Stoll Foundation has several resources for exercise on our website at www.stollfoundation.org, including: 

• a self-directed Exercise Program for reversing chronic illness
• a self-directed Event Training Program for joining a fun event like a 1K run or 5K walk, when you feel stronger but exercise is still a challenge
• a Training Calendar
• Resources for Exercising

The Right Exercise for You is only one leg of the 3LS Wellness Program.  Do the other two legs (Skilled Relaxation and the Perfectly Whole Foods Diet) for fastest results, greatest health, and numerous wellness benefits.