I can’t believe that I turned 54 this week. I want to thank all of you who celebrated my birthday with me. We had a great dinner, great girl’s night out, great conversation and even a taste of cheesecake. But the best part was the love, warmth and friendship I have found with all of the CurvyGirls. 

It is not an exaggeration when I say that I actually feel better at this age than I did when I was 35. People ask me all the time where I get all of my energy from. I tell them feeling this good is what keeps me going.  That and having the COMMITMENT AND DESIRE to keep healthy and fit. That’s the pact that I made with myself over 20 years ago.

Women are constantly telling me how stressed and tired they are most of the time.  In my teens and 20’s I remember waking up daily not feeling good. My body ached, I had no energy and life seemed hopeless most days. I remember looking in the mirror some days wondering what I was doing with my life. When I started to exercise regularly I immediately began to enjoy the energy and natural anti-depressant that it gave me.

That’s why I was intrigued recently, to see that medical science is studying the connection between fatigue and exercise. I’ve attached the New York Times article about the study, which proves what I already knew from living it.  Moving and breathing has kept me young and active.  I value every day of my life.  Maybe it is time for a NEW YOU. Exercise is the key, CurvyGirls.  Start out slowly and see how great you feel.

Debra
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February 29, 2008

The Cure for Exhaustion? More Exercise

Feeling fatigued? (George Ruhe for The New York Times)
When a person is sapped by fatigue, the last thing he or she wants to do is exercise. But new research shows that regular, low-intensity exercise may help boost energy levels in people suffering from fatigue.

Fatigue is one of the most common health symptoms and can be a sign of a variety of medical problems. However, about one in four people suffers from general fatigue not associated with a serious medical condition.

University of Georgia researchers decided to study whether exercise can be used to treat fatigue. The research, which appears in the February issue of the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, involved 36 volunteers who were not regular exercisers but who complained of persistent fatigue.

One group of fatigued volunteers was prescribed 20 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise three times a week for six weeks. The second group engaged in low-intensity aerobic exercise for the same time period, while a third control group did not exercise.

The study volunteers used exercise bikes that allowed the researchers to control their level of exertion. The low-intensity exercise was equivalent to a leisurely, easy walk. The more intense exercise was similar to a fast-paced walk up hills. Patients with fatigue due to serious medical conditions, such as those with chronic fatigue syndrome, weren’t included in the study.

Both of the exercise groups had a 20 percent increase in energy levels by the end of the study, compared to the control group. However, the researchers found that more intense exercise isn’t the best way to reduce fatigue. The low-intensity group reported a 65 percent drop in feelings of fatigue, compared to a 49 percent drop in the group doing more intense exercise.

“Too often we believe that a quick workout will leave us worn out — especially when we are already feeling fatigued,” said researcher Tim Puetz, who recently completed his doctorate at the university and is the lead author of the study. “However, we have shown that regular exercise can actually go a long way in increasing feelings of energy — particularly in sedentary individuals.”

Why exercise helps fatigue isn’t clear, but Dr. Puetz said his findings suggest exercise acts directly on the central nervous system to increase energy and reduce fatigue. Notably, the improvements in energy and fatigue were not related to increases in aerobic fitness.

“A lot of people are overworked and not sleeping enough,” said Patrick O’Connor, co-director of the university’s exercise psychology laboratory. “Exercise is a way for people to feel more energetic. There’s a scientific basis for it, and there are advantages to it compared to things like caffeine and energy drinks.”