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Rules To Live By: Part 2
The # 2 rule: Get to know your body.
•Tell your doctor you are going to start an exercise program, especially if you have a special medical condition or if you have been inactive for a long period of time. Ask your doctor what limitations you need to consider.
•Know your target heart rate. Why? Because everyone has an intensity zone that is specific to themselves. If you learn where your zone is, and how to stay in it, the next time someone challenges you to work a little harder, you can say, “I’m right where I need to be, thank you very much.”
•Know the effect of your medication (including over-the-counter) on your heart rate and your blood pressure during exercise. Ask your doctor or your pharmacist how medications will affect you during exercise.
•Know your blood profile levels. The next time your see your doctor, ask what your blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels are. Exercise is good for you. That means it can improve things like blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. It’s fun to know when that happens. But, you won’t know how you’ve improved if you don’t have a starting number.
•Know your bone density level. If you are over 50 and a woman, you need to have a bone density screening. Here again, good nutrition and exercise are key to building strong bones. And, yes, you can build strong bones at any age: Osteoporosis is treatable and reversible, if caught in time.
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