The issue with exercise

Have you been enjoying the Olympics?

I do admit to getting a bit hooked on the track-and-field events, and so I’ve got into some of the action this week.

I’m one of those people who – when they see something inspiring on telly – immediately want to start doing it themselves.

If I watch a Kung-Fu movie I instantly turn into Bruce Lee.

If I watch the rugby, I’m taken instantly back to my youth, and begin ducking and diving on my sofa while I scream at the screen.

So the Olympics has made me drag out my trainers, thinking that I should head into the local woods for a jog.

But does watching all this running, jumping and throwing get YOU in the mood for exercise?

Do you now feel urgently like going for a jog, leaping over your front gate or hurling giant spears over the neighbour’s fence?

If not, then don’t feel too guilty about it.

It turns out that your disinclination for exercise is entirely understandable from an evolutionary perspective.

This is based on something I read in the New Scientist a few weeks ago, which included a huge editorial section of ‘smart tips’ for exercise, based on insights from a variety of experts.

One thing they pointed out was that we never evolved to exercise (this is, according to Daniel Lieberman at Harvard University).

Instead, we are hardwired to exert ourselves moderately in the pursuit of food or travelling by foot – activities that were born of necessity, not choice.

There may have even been an evolutionary advantage for people who avoided exercise because it meant they could conserve energy.

So this is something to bear in mind when you watch athletes hurtle around a track in Paris while you sit in your pyjamas feeling inadequate.

There is no ancient inner-driving force for doing a load of running and jumping around for no reason.

Of course, our ancient ancestors couldn’t just sit around all day either – and they didn’t have cars, office spaces and smartphones either.

They were constantly doing low levels of moderate exercise as they moved around.

Which is why this is all you need to do to improve your health….
The Benefits of Really Slow Running

If you feel motivated by the Olympics to start doing more exercise, it might be worth knowing that it only requires some brisk walking or slow jogging to have a significant effect on your health.

The New Scientist special edition was fascinating because it didn’t suggest any gimmicky gadgets, weird diets or insanely complicated exercise regimens.

In fact almost ALL of the articles suggested that there is rarely a need to go to Olympian lengths to get super-fit.

One of them pointed out that “going at a more leisurely pace can bring a range of health benefits, from heart function to mental well-being, while avoiding the downsides of pushing your body to the max. It might even help you live longer.”

Steve Haake from Sheffield Hallam University says that slow running (ie, at the speed where you can comfortably talk, and you’re not in pain or heaving your lungs out) has advantages over high-intensity exercise.

“If I want to burn fat,” he told the magazine, “Then running slower is best”.

Rebecca Robinson, a sports medicine consultant, points out that slow jogging can help your cardiovascular system operate more efficiently.

It develops your heart muscles so that they become stronger and thereby increase the amount of blood pumped around your body, reducing your resting heart rate and lowering blood pressure.

Of course, perhaps you know all this…

It’s not a lack of knowledge that’s your problem, but a lack of motivation.

Well, if so, then there are some little hacks you can try to encourage yourself.
Fitness hacks that might just work for you…

One trick is to write down a big, achievable fitness goal with a long-term target (eg, within 6 months, or a year).

Then break it down into smaller goals that don’t seem intimidating, which you can schedule into your busy life.

For instance, you could aim to jog for 20 minutes three times a week to hit a 6-month goal.

This instantly creates a map for your journey towards that goal – but without it seeming too daunting.

Secondly, you can use what are known as ‘nudges’.

This is where you remove any obstacles that might give you reasons to opt-out or make an excuse – for instance, getting your jogging bottoms and trainers ready the night before and placing them near the door.

You could also place reminders and motivational quotes where you’ll see them frequently, such as on your bathroom mirror, fridge, or computer screen.

Finally, there’s something called the ‘Hawthorne Effect’, where you work harder at exercise if you feel you are being observed.

So perhaps you could find a partner, or a group with people of a similar age and physical ability, that you can get fit with.

The very act of doing this with someone else means you will be more motivated to get started, keep going, and work harder on the exercises too.

Apparently, even online exercise classes where the instructor cannot see you STILL has that Hawthorne Effect on your brain.

So that might be a good option to try if you feel too shy to be seen running or jumping by anyone!

Anyway, I hope some of these tips alleviate those twinges of guilt this weekend as super-fit young people whirl around on your screen!