It’s important to find the activities and exercises you enjoy and then build a manageable routine around them. If you like to dance, join a weekly dance class and fill in the rest of the week with your own practice sessions in front of the mirror. Or, if gardening is what you love to do, incorporate it into your weekly activities. The trick is to find what moves you and do it! Moderate exercise will help you to avoid and to relieve constipation and it will make you feel better all over by giving you more energy and generally encouraging better dietary habits.
Here are a few basic exercise tips to get you started:
- Before beginning any new exercise routine, check with your physician.
- It’s generally recommended that you exercise at least three times a week, steadily, for 20 to 30 minutes, or enough to raise your heart rate. Start gradually and work up to a full workout.
- Be sure to include proper warm-up stretches and a cool-down period as well. As you probably know, putting yourself through a tough workout without building up to it could result in injuries.
- Walking is an excellent way to start any exercise program. You can walk outside when it's temperate, or inside at a gym or large shopping mall in bad or cold weather. When given a choice of taking the stairs or an elevator or escalator, choose the staircase. It’s an easy way to get a little exercise into your day. And if you drive most places, park at a distance to give you opportunities to walk as part of your daily routine.
- Create a walkable/bikeable errand schedule each week by identifying tasks you can do on foot or by bicycle rather than by car. Build your new human-powered schedule over a three-month period and see how far you have gone without a car or bus.
- Stretch and move. Are you stuck at a desk most of the day? Try standing and stretching at intervals and instead of calling a colleague, take a walk to their desk to get your work done. On a long plane ride? Stretch and walk in the terminal prior to boarding and try a few leg stretches at your seat once aboard.
- For extra incentive, you may consider consulting a fitness expert or joining a fitness center. An instructor can help you set up an exercise schedule and keep you motivated. Most health clubs will also do a fitness test to help assess your fitness level.
Whatever you do, choose an exercise routine that fits nicely into your daily routine so that the benefits become a regular and enjoyable part of your life. Click here for a printable activity/exercise diary.
You may also want to take something for your occasional constipation. Click here to find the product that's right for you.
And remember, always check with your doctor before starting a new exercise routine, to discuss your condition and to help you manage your health.
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