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Turning spuds into studs
Getting male couch potatoes off their butts and onto their feet

by Andrea Wang

Sometimes it takes a wake-up call to convince men to lose weight and start exercising.

Simply knowing that increased obesity levels can lead to heart disease often isn't enough to take a guy to the next level -- off the sofa and onto the track.

"If they're overweight, they need to lose weight," Dr. Joseph Hopkins, professor in family medicine and practicing physician at Stanford Hospital and Clinics, said. "Basically to lose weight, you need to exercise more and eat fewer calories."

Although the answer may be simple, the actual process of getting into habitual exercise can be difficult, which raises the question: What are some ways to motivate men who are extremely disinclined to exercise, and what motivates those who have never exercised before?

"The time that men get motivated ... is that there is some kind of a wake-up call," Hopkins said. "Their best friend had a heart attack, a guy at work just got cancer, or even (they've) had a small episode of their own."

Men often start exercising when they have hypertension or diabetes, YMCA Trainer Juana Navarro added.

"Another reason why (men) come in is that their wife, or girlfriend, sent them," Hopkins added with a laugh. "It's a way to get them in, but it might not be a way to keep them going."

Women are more likely than men to exercise in group settings for similar reasons women visit the doctor more often, according to Hopkins.

"It has to do with the whole male psychology thing in our society of our being strong," he said. "Men somehow think they are invincible and don't want to show weakness or don't want to reveal their weaknesses to other people -- even doctors."

"A lot of it probably comes down to comfort level and confidence. ... (At YMCA), our general philosophy is the idea that we don't really care what you look like when you come in -- we just want you to feel good when you leave," YMCA Membership Director Jason Berry said.

Men who aren't physically fit should ease into healthy and safe exercise gradually, and it doesn't have to be through a gym, Hopkins said.

"Men think that they have to be completely drenched in sweat to feel that they have done anything good ... but it doesn't have to exhaust you," he said. "The form that it takes is just anything they want to do." He recommends aerobic exercise, gradually working out up to 30 to 40 minutes, four days a week. This could be at home, in a gym, in a class or with a friend.

"When I'm trying to get people to start exercising ... we talk about what will work best for them ... something that fits into your schedule easily and something that's enjoyable.

"It's a hard thing to do," he added. "The first hurdle is getting started -- the second hurdle is keeping at it."

Rather than focusing on the consequences of being overweight, Hopkins finds it more useful to point to what they can notice within two to three weeks after they begin exercising.

"You'll lose weight and have more energy," he said. "You will, at the end of the day, not be so tired. You'll have more energy left to do something social, play with the kids, and spend time with your wife. You'll probably be more productive and be more alert -- you'll just feel better."

"I just feel a lot better when I exercise," said Jeff Lipkin, a Palo Alto resident who started exercising in order to avoid heart disease and diabetes.

"Although there are days I don't feel like it, I know on the other hand that if I do it, I'll feel a lot better (because) when you exercise, it (releases) endorphins -- exercise is a really positive experience."

Navarro said besides sharing the benefits of exercise, there is a technique that most trainers learn that will help men stay motivated.

"At first, they don't want to work out as much, so we make (the routine) shorter so they're motivated to come back," Navarro said. Seeing results is the biggest motivator, he added.

Although exercising plays an important factor in the approach to wellness, Berry said there are other old adages that people should be doing simultaneously with exercise in order to lose weight and stay healthy.

"The way you eat, the way you sleep, decreasing stress in your life and all those kinds of things," Berry said. "They're all interconnected."

"We all don't get enough sleep and ... if you're sleepy, you're less likely to exercise," Hopkins said. "A reason why some people overeat is they use that as a stress reducer. If you're rested, you also feel less stress, so all these things kind of interact with each other."

"There are other habits," he added. "Don't smoke, don't drink in excess -- those are two common habits that get most people into trouble."

In addition to lowering risk of heart attacks, "keeping your weight down may reduce the risk of certain kinds of cancers (and) degenerative kinds of ... wear and tear on joints," Hopkins said.

"It reduces risk factors (such as) hypertension, diabetes, heart problems, (and) vascular problems," Navarro added. "Also, it keeps you younger. ... The process of aging is slower when you exercise, which is really important -- it releases stress (and) makes you aware of your body."

Besides physical attributes, Berry said other benefits of exercise include the strengthening of mental and emotional health.

"This study out of Duke University (said) physical activity is actually better for combating depression than other depression drugs are," Berry said. "Generally, you're going to feel better about yourself -- better self-confidence, (and) better self advocacy -- you're just going to feel better."

"I have much greater tolerance for physical activity. ... The endorphins work," Lipkin added. "I am happier."

Editorial Intern Andrea Wang can be e-mailed at awang@paweekly.com.