Bewegung – es lohnt sich immer!
Keine Zeit, keine Lust: Bewegungsmuffel haben zahlreiche Ausreden, Präventionsexperte Milo Puhan erklärt, wie man den inneren Schweinehund überwindet.
Even without doing any sport or physical exercise, I’m completely exhausted when I get home in the evening. Why should I saddle myself with even more stress?
Exercise doesn’t have to be hard work if you build it into your daily routine and – even better – do it with others. Then it’s not a chore, it’s fun.
Even more appointments! My diary is already bursting at the seams!
If you don’t want to add any additional appointments to your diary, you should at least try to introduce more exercise into your daily routine. When commuting to work, get off the bus or tram a couple of stations earlier and walk the rest of the way. A few more extra steps – that’s all it takes.
“If you don’t want to add any additional appointments to your diary, you should at least try to introduce more exercise into your daily routine.”
You have to do 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a day if you want to see results. That’s much too long for me.
Just a moment! It’s also enough if you do 5-10 minutes of sport a day, but then intensively and at a high pace.
What about strength, endurance and flexibility? Wow, you fitness freaks are really demanding!
Which is why Vitaparcours is such a great idea. You exercise outdoors, improve your coordination, do endurance training and complete strength exercises at the various stations. All this without having to put your hand in your pocket for sports equipment or expensive clothes.
I don’t see any clear evidence that this extra effort really does improve your health.
From research, we know that exercise has a preventive effect in the case of various diseases. It is clear in the case of cardiovascular diseases, as well as in the case of diabetes and back problems. There are also clear signs that exercise helps delay the onset of dementia or, in some cases, even prevent it. It is also interesting that exercise is an extremely effective therapy for various illnesses, significantly improving quality of life. This applies to heart and lung patients, but also to cancer patients and dementia sufferers.
Come on, these studies exaggerate!
No, there is clear evidence from experimental studies that participants are physically fitter and that symptoms can be alleviated. For example, people with lung disease suffer less from shortness of breath thanks to improved fitness.
When you’re ill or in a bad mood, you don’t feel like exercising.
That’s right, it’s a tricky business: If an ill person suffers greatly from their symptoms, they no longer do anything physically, and they get worse and worse. That’s a vicious circle that you should try to break.
“Then join a group!”
As soon as I think about doing a trial training session at a fitness club, I get a migraine.
Perhaps you would benefit from some help in getting started. Why not take a course to get back into your chosen form of exercise, or work with a physiotherapist or a coach who can introduce you to the exercise and help you overcome your fear?
I can’t think of any sport that appeals to me. I have zero hand-eye coordination, hate water and I’m too clumsy for aerobics.
Start with walking, first at a comfortable pace on flat terrain and gradually increase your tempo. You’ll soon be able to add small inclines into your route without getting out of breath. Or perhaps it’s time to try something new? That would be a great effort. The goal is definitely to get your pulse racing a little now and then, as that’s beneficial. This stimulates your cardiovascular system and helps your blood vessels remain elastic.
Cycling might be an option – if I didn’t have to constantly risk my life in Zurich’s heavy traffic.
Zurich is not totally safe in this respect, that’s true. But there are more and more safe cycle paths. Maybe a hometrainer would work for you. Admittedly, that’s not for everyone.
Everybody seems to love jogging. But it’s not for me. It can hurt to run on the road.
A good pair of running shoes that have been fitted for you in a specialist shop often helps. Apart from that, there are many open jogging trails, across fields, along a lake or on a woodchip track in the forest.
In the forest? That’s much too dangerous for me.
Then join a group!
My parents were rather lazy and didn’t like to exercise. I’ve obviously inherited it from my family.
Your family, that is, the people around you, actually play an important role. Parents can be the best or worst role models, depending on how they behave in front of you. Your first childhood experiences of exercise significantly affect how active you are in adulthood.
I’m a homebody. I like nothing better than inviting friends around and cooking for them. This is at least as good for your health as regular exercise.
It goes without saying that eating together is good for your health. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t completely abandon any attempts to exercise. Combining the two would be the best solution.
At my age, it’s pointless starting something new.
It’s always worth it, even at a ripe old age! You’ll feel the health benefits relatively quickly. Your physical fitness will improve noticeably after just a few weeks and you’ll feel much better in yourself. What a great feeling!
It really works!
- 2.5 hours of fast walking a week cuts the risk of type II diabetes by 52%.
- Regular exercise reduces back problems by up to 50%.
- 10 hours of exercise a week cuts the risk of cardiovascular diseases by up to 35%.
- Regular exercise, a healthy diet and not smoking cut the risk of cancer by up to 40%.
Sources:
Federal Office of Public Health, Gesundheitsförderung Schweiz, 2015
PubMed.gov, Exercise as a treatment for chronic low back pain, 2004
