It can safely be said that South Africans – and billions of people around the world – are crazy about sport. So why are so many people overweight and out of shape? Because we’re a nation of spectators, of couch potatoes, and it shows in our waistlines and life expectancy rates.
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It’s been shown that losing as little as five kilograms can reduce your chances of suffering from some sort health problem resulting from hypertension. So what can you do?
Firstly, you should see your doctor before undertaking any new exercise regimen. This is especially important if you’ve been sedentary or are obese. Your doctor may recommend several types of exercise that would help you, but it’ll also depend on your interests and abilities.
The only real criteria for exercise is that it elevates your heart rate. Other benefits that follow automatically include improved muscle tone, posture, reflexes, appetite and sleeping patterns.
Running, walking, swimming, rowing and cycling are all good for your heart rate. The first important point is to start slowly: especially in the beginning, you should be able to speak while exercising, especially when you’re just starting a programme. If you feel out of breath, dizzy or nauseous, stop immediately. But carry on tomorrow, which is the second important lesson: keep exercising through those first few critical weeks when most people give up.
Unless you’re very motivated or a bit antisocial, you’re likely to benefit from having an exercise partner. There’s a subtle peer pressure involved that will help you stay motivated.
If you’ve been a couch potato for some time, don’t expect to see immediate results, although some people say they feel the benefits of exercise almost instantly. It may take a couple of months before your waistline begins to shrink.
But even if you never become a triathlete, a regular exercise programme could save your life. For it to be effective, you need to have at least three 30-minute sessions each week. It qualifies as exercise if it increases your heart-rate and makes you sweat.
Some pastimes such as bowls, weightlifting or ballroom dancing are healthy, but they don’t qualify as aerobic exercise, so they won’t strengthen your heart. If you enjoy other forms of rigorous, non-areobic exercise, keep doing them, as they’ll help you stay motivated to exercise.
Exercise will only be effective if it’s combined with other, sensible habits: get plenty of rest, eat carbohydrate-rich foods that are low in saturated fats, drink copious amounts of fresh water, don’t smoke, and drink only modest amounts of alcohol.
If you have hypertension, you should never regard exercise as a substitute for taking your medication diligently, seeing your doctor regularly or keeping an eye on your blood pressure.
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