Have you ever said to yourself, "I do not have time to exercise. I am running up against several deadlines, the kids need to be taken to ball practice, I'm preparing for my upcoming lesson, my genealogy is way behind, there are meals to prepare, the yard needs to be taken care of, and the list goes on." I would venture to guess all of us have experienced this dilemma. This being true, how then are we expected to do something else?

First of all, we need to realize that any kind of physical activity does not have to be formal, time-consuming or even strenuous in order to benefit us. Doctor C. Everett Koop, former US Surgeon General, has said, "Based on what we know now, everyone can find some time to include more activity in their day. The key is to think of small ways to get the body moving, which will add up to big dividends in terms of better health." One way to begin is to start putting one foot in front of the other and gradually build up to 30 minutes of moderate exercise three-five days a week.

The following upper-body exercises can be done at home, in the office or in a motel room and are taken from a pamphlet titled, "Fitting Fitness In--Even When You're Pressed For Time." Lateral Lifts, Biceps Curls, Desk Pushups, Chest Presses, Seated Crunches, Leg Extensions, Straight-Leg Lifts, Wall Squats, Hamstring Curls, Buttocks Squeezes, Writing the Alphabet, and Heel Lifts. These are exercises used to build muscle endurance. There are also stretches you can do to relieve neck, shoulder and back tension that comes from sitting in one place for too long. However, due to space restrictions in this article, an explanation for each of the above, is not provided. If you will contact me by phone (356-1040), e-mail (wickhaml@ricks.edu) or at 103 ASB 8011, I will be happy to send a handout. In conclusion, we can work a fitness program into our lives--it just takes a desire. Also watch for our Incentive Sheets coming out soon. Starting in January will be an exciting "Challenge Program" involving teams of ten members (employees and spouses) working toward a common goal.

Submitted by Larry B. Wickham, December 3, 1998