Doyouthinkthatregularexerciseisimportant

　　EveryWednesdayisTipDay.

　　ThisWednesday:12tipsforgettingregularexercise鈥andthebenefits.

　　ExerciseisaKEYtohappiness.Researchshowsthatpeoplewhoexercisearehealthier,moreenergetic,thinkmoreclearly,sleepbetter,andhavedelayedonsetofdementia.Theygetrelieffromanxietyandmilddepression.Theyperformbetteratwork.

　　Also,althoughit鈥檚temptingtoflopdownonthecouchwhenyou鈥檙efeelingexhausted,exerciseisactuallyagreatwaytoboostenergylevels.Feelingtiredisareasontoexercise,notareasontoskipexercise.

　　Butevenwhenyouadmitthatyou鈥檇feelbetterifyouexercised,itcanbeveryhardtoadoptthehabit.Myideaoffunhasalwaysbeentolieinbed,reading,preferablywhilealsoeatingasnack鈥butI鈥檝emanagedtokeepmyselfexercisingovertheyearsbyusingallthesetricksonmyself:

　　1.AlwaysexerciseonMonday.Thissetsthepsychologicalpatternfortheweek.Alongthesamelines鈥?br/>2.Ifatallpossible,exercisefirstthinginthemorning.Asthedaywearson,you鈥檒lfindmoreexcusestoskipexercising.Getitcheckedoffyourlist,firstthing.It鈥檚alsoaverynicewaytostarttheday;evenifnothingelsegoesright,you鈥檝eaccomplishedthat.

　　3.Neverskipexercisingfortwodaysinarow.Youcanskipaday,butthenextday,youmustexercise,nomatterhowinconvenient.(Lately,Ihaven鈥檛beenfollowingthisrule,andithasreallyaffectedmyroutinefortheworse.I鈥檓goingtore-doublemycommitmenttoit.)

　　4.Giveyourselfcreditforthesmallesteffort.Myfatheralwayssaidthatallhehadtodowasputonhisrunningshoesandclosethedoorbehindhim.Manytimes,bypromisingmyselfIcouldquittenminutesafterI鈥檇started,Igotmyselftostart鈥andthenfoundthatIdidn鈥檛wanttoquit,afterall.

　　5.Thinkaboutcontext.IthoughtIdislikedweight-training,butinfact,Idislikedtheguyswhohungoutintheweight-trainingarea.Areyoudistressedaboutthegrubbyshowersinyourgym?Doyoutrytoruninthemornings,butrecoilfromgoingoutinthecold?Examinethefactorsthatmightbediscouragingyoufromexercising.

　　6.Exerciseseveraltimesaweek.Ifyourideaofexerciseistojoingamesofpick-upbasketball,youshouldbeplayingpracticallyeveryday.Twiceamonthisn鈥檛enough.

　　7.Ifyoudon鈥檛havetimebothtoexerciseandtakeashower,findawaytoexercisethatdoesn鈥檛requireyoutoshowerafterward.Eachweek,Ihaveaverychallengingweight-trainingsession,buttheformatIfollowdoesn鈥檛makemesweat.(Someofyouaresaying,鈥淚tcan鈥檛bechallengingifyoudon鈥檛sweat!鈥Ohyes,believeme,itis.)

　　8.Lookforaffordablewaystomakeexercisingmorepleasantorsatisfying.Couldyouupgradetoanicerormoreconvenientgym?BuyyourselfanewiPod?Workwithatrainer?Getapedometertokeeptrackofyourwalkingdistances?Exerciseisahighlifepriority,sothisaworthwhileplacetospendsomemoneyifthathelps.

　　9.Thinkofexerciseaspartofyouressentialpreparationfortimesyouwanttobeinespeciallyfineform鈥whetherinperformance(tobesharpforanimportantpresentation)orappearance(tolookgoodforawedding)ormood(todealwithastressfulsituation).Incollege,myroommatesandIalwaysmadesuretoexercisethedayofabigparty.Studiesshowthatexercisedoeshelp.

　　10.RememberoneofmyfavoriteSecretsofAdul