Scott Webb (Host): Many of us want to and maybe need to exercise more, but setting realistic goals and staying motivated are often things we struggle with. And my guest today has some great tips and suggestions for starting to exercise, being safe while we exercise, and staying motivated. I'm joined today by Andy Saul. He's a certified wellness practitioner with Stoughton Health.

 Welcome to Stoughton HealthTalk. I'm Scott Webb. And Andy, it's so nice to have you here today. We're going to talk about exercise guidelines, staying motivated. That's the hard one for me, staying motivated. So, I'm going to rely on your expertise. I'm sure listeners will as well. So, let's talk about some of the simple ways people can start incorporating physical activity into their daily routines, even if they feel pressed for time. And I think that's a lot of us. We just feel pressed for time and it seems like a lot of work to make time to do that stuff. But you're here to tell us how we can do that. So, let's start there.

Andy Saul: Yeah. Staying motivated is difficult, especially when we're talking about time, right? I would really encourage people to find creative ways to move more throughout their day. So, if you're busy, start small. And a couple examples of that would just be to take a five-minute break during your lunch or throughout your day, just to get some extra steps in or do some exercises in your office if you have an office and close the door.

Another good example is parking further away. So, instead of parking right next to the door to the building, intentionally park further away so you get extra steps in. I would encourage people, please be careful during the winter, especially because that's coming up soon. Make sure that the parking lots are salted and whatnot. We want to prevent those falls as well.

And then, another example is just to use the stairs instead of an elevator whenever possible, right? So if you're carrying a bunch of things and it's not super safe to use the stairs, yes, using an elevator is okay. But when we're talking about adding it throughout the day, right? It's activities like stretching while you're watching TV or doing body weight exercises while you're brushing your teeth, right? So while we're brushing our teeth, we tend to just stand there and brush away. And we could also be doing something else. And consistency is key, right? It doesn't need to be an hour long workout at the gym. It really can be a small change that leads to a big result over time.

Host: Yeah. I think that for a lot of beginners, maybe there's this intimidation factor just to start an exercise program or go to a gym. So, what's your best advice on just those of us who want to get going, but we're just not sure how to do that. Or if we're going to feel intimidated because we're going to see all these fabulous athletes there, you know, and we're going to be like, "Uh-oh, you know, maybe I don't belong here." How do we get started?

Andy Saul: So, starting something new definitely can be overwhelming. And I want to encourage people that, yes, it's cliche, but things are cliche because it tends to be true, right? Start where you are. Everybody is starting somewhere and really focus on you. And. If you are feeling intimidated, it's okay to feel those, things, but don't let that stop you from accomplishing some of the goals that you want to set for yourself.

So again, starting where you are, don't expect to exercise five days a week. If you're not exercising at all right now, it's not realistic, right? I think that realistic goals are really important. And let's say somebody is starting to exercise for the first time in a while, something that's low impact, right? Something like walking or stretching or even chair exercises can be really beneficial. And when we're talking about the gym and feeling intimidated, you want to find an environment that's comfortable for you. So if you walk into a gym and you're very intimidated, go somewhere else. Find a friend to go with to not only help you stay motivated, but help you feel more comfortable in that new atmosphere.

And lastly, focus on progress over perfection, right? We have this all-or-nothing mindset. And when it comes to exercise it doesn't have to be all or nothing. If you set a goal to exercise three days a week for 15 minutes a day, and you only get two days a week, that's okay. But the next week, try to get that three again.

Most importantly, try to really focus on you instead of comparing yourself to others. It's really your own journey, and it's going to be a little bit difficult to start that new routine, but don't be intimidated by that. I really, really encourage people to just take it one step at a time.

Host: Yeah. I think, for me, it's a little goes a long way. And, you know, I think for me, it's also wanting to be like well rounded, right? Mentally, physically, that kind of thing. So, just an overall kind of wellness plan is what I'm in search for. And I'm sure a lot of listeners are as well. So, how do we do that? How's that work with, you know, putting in physical activity and then, you know, kind of combining that to have that just overall sense of wellbeing.

Andy Saul: So, I would say that a well rounded wellbeing plan is really important. And our physical well-being can change our mental well-being. It can change our social well-being. So if we can take advantage of what we want to do physically, that can help us mentally, it can help us socially, right? A big part of fitness is doing it with other people, right? Having other people around or having a buddy to help you stay committed and continue to exercise.

And then also, it kind of clears our mind. It lets us stop worrying about some of the daily tasks or the errands that we might need to run later in the day. And it helps us relax. And I know exercising does not sound relaxing, but I promise you the more often you exercise, the more relaxed you can be in the future.

Host: Yeah. And I think one of the big things that I've observed about myself and other folks is just setting sort of realistic fitness goals, right? Like, I'm not trying to run a marathon, or even a half marathon, or a quarter marathon, that's a thing, right? Like, I'm just trying to stay physically active, you know, for my mental health, for my physical health. So, how do we do that? How do we set realistic fitness goals so that we can stay motivated. Because I think that's maybe one of the biggest problems, is people set their-- especially like our, you know, first of the year, New Year's resolutions. You know, they set the bar so high sometimes literally, but mostly figuratively. So in other words, how do we set that goal realistically so that we can reach it, we can attain and feel some success.

Andy Saul: Yeah. So, realistic goals are extremely important. I use this example a little bit earlier, but if somebody is starting to exercise again for the first time in a long time and they want to exercise five days a week, that's a great goal, right? But we want to be a little bit more specific. What are you going to do for that exercise? How long are you going to exercise for? So, Scott, have you ever heard of the SMART goal framework?

Host: Yeah, I have actually. Yeah.

Andy Saul: Yeah. So, it's specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Some of that, the acronym can be interchanged with a few different words. And when we're talking about specifics, so instead of saying, "I want to exercise more," saying, "I will walk for 20 minutes for three days." And that's also measurable, right?

You know what you need to accomplish to achieve that goal. You would achieve that goal by walking those 20 minutes, right? And then also the three days a week. Achievable, it's realistic, and something that you know without a doubt you can accomplish. So instead of saying that, "I want to exercise five days a week for 45 minutes," start small. And then, relevant, it's most likely relevant to something that's more meaningful to the person, like losing weight or lowering their cholesterol or their blood pressure. And then, lastly, time bound, setting a deadline. So, by the end of January, I want to work my way up to exercising four days a week for 30 minutes instead of three days a week for 20.

And lastly, staying motivated and finding what works for you. That next smallest step is something that I talk to people about. Quite often, and for some people, the next smallest step might simply be to put on a different pair of shoes and walk out the door. They don't need to go to the gym. They don't need to actually go for that walk or get in the car. But simply putting on a different pair of shoes and stepping out the door three days a week can lead to the start of something new, start of a new habit. And again, what is the next smallest step? that you know without a doubt you can accomplish.

Host: Yeah. Yeah. It's such good advice. I think the barriers is a common theme for folks, right? So whether that's the lack of time, resources, confidence, whatever it might be. So, let's talk about the common barriers to exercise and how we can overcome them.

Andy Saul: You mentioned time, and that's probably the one that I hear most often from people is that there's not enough time in the day or they can't find the time to exercise, right? Like I mentioned before, breaking it into small chunks throughout the day is beneficial. Yes, a five-minute walk still does count.

And if we look at, you know, some of the other barriers, lack of resources, you don't have to sign up for a gym membership. You don't need any fancy equipment. A chair, some frozen water bottles or gallons of water, or even just your body weight can be enough for exercise. When we talk about resources, I always like to talk about some of the guidelines for that physical activity as well. And as we know historically, and if you don't know this that's okay too, so adults need about 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity each week. So, that would be about 30 minutes for five days a week. And what's a little bit newer to these guidelines is that adults also need two days of muscle strengthening activity each week. Again, this doesn't have to be with fancy equipment. This can be at-home body weight exercises. Lunges are really, really tiring, even without any additional weight, and I would always encourage people to look into, for example, beginner exercises for people age 30 to 40, and then put like an age range, whatever they are. And look at videos. Watch other people, see how they do it, and then watch yourself in the mirror. Am I doing it the same way they are? Because we also want exercise to be safe.

Host: Just want to finish up, you know, I know Wisconsin has cold winter months, as we all know, right? So, what are some practical strategies you have for staying consistent, which is often the big challenge. How do we do this consistently, you know, exercise when it is so darn cold out?

Andy Saul: Yeah. We do really have to think about safety first when it comes to exercise in the colder months. And something most people might not know, Wisconsin is actually one of the worst states in the U.S. for injuries due to falls. And If we think about the winter, some people might think that's to blame, well, Minnesota also has very similar winter months

Host: Very similar. Yes.

Andy Saul: Yeah. And they're not nearly as bad as Wisconsin. So, not exactly sure why that is, and we're doing some of those things to prevent falls and before that injury can occur. But back to your question, winter, yes, it can be challenging. It's also a pretty good opportunity to be creative with your exercise. So, taking advantage of indoor spaces is the number one thing I would recommend. Going to a mall where you can walk safely and comfortably, right? You don't have to have a winter hat and gloves and coat on when you're inside those spaces. And then also, community centers are a great way to exercise safely inside, even if it's just getting some laps in.

Host: Yeah.

Andy Saul: Something else is investing in some simple equipment. Resistance bands are very affordable. And I know some places will even give out resistance bands at no cost. And then also setting a schedule and treating it like an appointment.

So when we talk about exercise in the winter, people tend to get really hard on themselves because they don't want to be outside when it's dark, right? The days seem like they're so short right now. And I would just say to really try and establish a habit of exercising at the same time on certain days of the week. And if you are going to exercise, please dress in layers, prioritize your safety. Make sure that the sidewalks or wherever you're walking is salted if it's icy out. And please make sure that you have a game plan for when you fall to have somebody to call or wearing one of the devices that you can just press a button that it will automatically call somebody else for help. And again, taking the precautions before we even get to a fall of using a cane, if you need one, or calling somebody else to help you get inside if you have that capability.

And one thing that I do want to mention, Scott, is the important thing is finding somebody to help motivate you if you can't do it on your own. And then also, finding something that you enjoy and making it a part of your lifestyle long term instead of these fitness challenges that are short-lived, right? We want to create lifestyle change and something that I do with people at the hospital, our employees, as well as community members, anybody that wants to take advantage of it is health coaching. And if somebody is in need of extra support. If they want to bounce ideas off of me, or just need some more encouragement and accountability and motivation, they can call me directly to sign up for a coaching session with me. That number, if you're interested, 608-877-3485. But again, take it slow, set realistic goals for yourself and reach out to somebody if you truly do need support.

Host: That's great. Appreciate your time. Thanks so much.

Andy Saul: Of course. Thanks, Scott.

Host: And for more information, go to stoughtonhealth.com and search Health Talk Podcasts. And that concludes this episode of Stoughton Health Talk. Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review this podcast and all the other Stoughton Hospital podcasts. I'm Scott Webb. Stay safe and be well.