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Alison Stewart: This is All Of It from WNYC, I'm Alison Stewart. We have come to the end of January, the month that folks make resolutions or decide to kickstart good habits. A recent Forbes poll notes that 48% of respondents said their New Year's resolution was to work on their fitness. If that sounds like you, how is it going four weeks into 2024? Studies have shown that even after three weeks, the excitement that comes with a new year begins to fade. In fact, January 17th has been dubbed Ditch Resolution Day because so many people, they lose interest or give up. In general, 50% of people who sign up for gym memberships cancel them within six months.

We are here at All Of It want to check in with you as we head into February, how is it going? Are you keeping up with your fitness resolution, or is it a struggle? What have you been doing to get your body moving? If you've been successful, what's your secret? Do you have any fitness goals? Maybe you want to run a marathon. We want to hear about it. Give us a call, 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692. You can call in and join us on air. You can also text to us at that number, 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692.

My ride-along for this check-in is Danielle Friedman. She's a journalist who specializes in health and fitness for The New York Times, and is also a co-author of Let's Get Physical: How Women Discovered Exercise and Reshaped the World. Her most recent piece was How to Exercise When It Feels Impossible, as well as Eight Fitness Myths That Drive Experts Crazy.

Welcome back to the show, Danielle.

Danielle Friedman: Thank you so much for having me.

Alison Stewart: Let's talk bout a few of the myths first, because I think people have an idea of, "This is what I'm going to do to get healthy. I'm going to walk 10,000 steps a day." That is on your list of Myths That Drive Experts Crazy. Why does that one drive experts crazy?

Danielle Friedman: [laughs] Yes. This concept has taken on a larger-than-life significance in our culture. So many of us just see it as the gold standard for health and fitness, but actually, the goal of 10,000 steps a day was pretty much completely manufactured. It has this wacky history. It dates back to the 1960s when a Japanese clock manufacturer mass-produced a pedometer with a name that translated to 10,000 step speeder. It was just a nice round number.

Recent research has shown that actually walking as few as really just 4,000 steps a day is really beneficial for our health, and can reduce our risk of premature death, and benefits tend to plateau around 7,500 steps. For many people, it feels like basically a out of reach goal. That's primarily why it drives fitness experts crazy, because it can feel prohibitively challenging for people, and then they just don't walk at all.

Alison Stewart: Now, you point out in your piece that myth number four is that walking, even though it's great, is enough to keep you fit, especially as you age. Why isn't it enough? What else do you need to be doing?

Danielle Friedman: Walking is a terrific form of exercise, and I love that, particularly since the pandemic, it's seen that it's having a moment. So many people have discovered it and have discovered that, again, doing anything, walking, getting off your couch is so much better than doing nothing. However, if you're really looking at functional fitness, the exercise physiologists I spoke with have pointed out that strength training is so important. As we age, for many people, we can get by with a minimal baseline of cardiovascular health, but it's the resistance training and the strength training that is going to enable us to really continue to be active participants in our daily lives and have a wonderful quality of life as we age. It's really important to compliment walking with. It's just basically two sessions of strength training a week, two 20-minute sessions, which I know can feel like a lot if you're not doing it, but it does pay dividends in the long run.

Alison Stewart: For those who are thinking about running but worried about their knees, you have myth number three, that running destroys your knees. People not necessarily fear arthritis because of that.

Danielle Friedman: Yes. This one actually was one of the biggest shocks to me. I'm a runner, and I don't know, this myth has really permeated not only popular culture, but also medicine as well. It's just starting to be debunked based on more up-to-date research. Fascinatingly, not only does running not destroy your knees and does it not increase your risk of osteoarthritis, but it actually helps to prevent that kind of degeneration, and it protects your knees. It's anti-inflammatory. I found that just to be a revelation. That's not to say that running doesn't cause knee pain.

Again, I have experienced, I had patellofemoral syndrome, but that is something that's caused by what some doctors call the rule of two is doing too much, going too far, too fast, too soon. It has to do with form and strength, and it can be treated. In the long run, running is actually quite good for your knees.

Alison Stewart: Let's talk to Andrew from the Upper West Side. Hi, Andrew. Thank you for calling in. You're on the air.

Andrew: Hi. Thank you for taking my call. I just wanted to just give a little bit of an update on my general fitness goals. I think I've been successful in part because I've been doing it under the influence of a little THC. I find that while I'm a little high, I don't focus too much on the pain or I'm not too tired. I'm able to just get a little tunnel-minded so that I just focus on the exercise itself and I'm seeing some results. I've seen myself packet a little bit of muscle mass, I don't get as tired. I think the trick is finding out the right amount. There's definitely been some times in which I'm a little too stoned, and that's not great, but 5 to 10 milligrams I think is the key to just getting a nice workout. Again, I don't feel the pain, I don't feel tired, and it makes it fun, honestly.

Alison Stewart: Andrew, thank you for calling in. Listeners, we want to know how are you doing with your fitness goals. If that was one of your resolutions, one of the things you wanted to work on in 2024, how are you moving your body? If you've been successful, what's been your secret? Do you have any particular fitness goals? 212-433-9692, 212-433-WNYC. You can call in and join us on air, or you can text to us at that number. Our social media is available as well.

My guest is New York Times writer, Danielle Friedman. She specializes in exercise and writing about fitness. Have you heard about people working out on THC? I don't mean to put you on the spot, but I'm curious if you've heard about this, Danielle.

Danielle Friedman: I have. I think we can say it's becoming a growing trend, and actually I am looking into doing a story on this very topic, so this is great motivation. I think a lot of people experience what your listener experienced. Some people talk about a runner's high or the high that is experienced from exercise, and for many, it just helps to enhance it and make it a more enjoyable experience.

Alison Stewart: Let's talk about people who do want to get in the habit of exercising, do want to make it part of their life. What have you found from your research and people you've interviewed is crucial when you're starting a new fitness routine?

Danielle Friedman: I think the most important thing and what I've heard from exercise scientists is to go slowly. I think a lot of fitness messaging sends this idea that basically the whole no pain, no gain, it encourages you to really push yourself to your limit. What we know helps to prevent injuries is to gradually ramp up, and that's true. Even if you used to play a sport or move at a very high level, if you haven't exercised in a while, you're getting back into it, you are best off in the long run if you go slowly and build up gradually.

Alison Stewart: Language is really important. You write about how the word excuses can derail a program. Tell us a little bit more about what language might not be the best to use if you're really serious about sticking with something.

Danielle Friedman: Yes. I really dislike the word excuse, because when it comes to exercise, it really suggests that you're accountable to someone else or that exercise is a chore. We know that not only are you most likely to stick with a fitness routine when you enjoy what you're doing, but basically the more that you think of it as doing yourself a kindness, the more longevity it will have.

Other words in that same spirit are should. "I really should be doing this." This is not as much a language thing, but when you exercise for external reasons, when you're doing it for reasons having to do with guilt or shame or wanting to change the way you look to meet a certain external ideal, all of these things actually work against us in the long term in terms of forging a lasting exercise habit.

Alison Stewart: My guest is Danielle Friedman. She writes for The New York Times about wellness and fitness. After the break, we'll tackle the I have no time, the I can't afford this, and the I don't like it parts of this conversation, as well as take some of your calls. Matt from South Carolina is on hold, as well as Joelle from North Bergen. We'll talk to them after a quick break. This is All Of It.

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Alison Stewart: This is All Of It from WNYC. I'm Alison Stewart. My guest is Danielle Friedman. You may have read her book, Let's Get Physical: How Women Discovered Exercise and Reshaped the World. It's a great book by the way. Her most recent piece was, How to Exercise When It Feels Impossible. She also wrote Eight Fitness Myths That Drive Experts Crazy.

Danielle, let's take some calls. Let's talk to Matt from South Carolina. Hi, Matt.

Matt: Hey, how are you doing?

Alison Stewart: I'm doing great. What made you decide to concentrate on your fitness this year?

Matt: Well, I lost my father in June of last year, and about a month after that, that for me, that was the galvanizing moment, and that was what made me want to call today. I think that in the past many years, I've tried and failed to exercise and lose weight and get strong and fit, but just seeing my father pass was for me just that galvanizing moment to say, "All right, let's do this. No more excuses." I think that for any listener, you have to dig deep and find that real motivating reason, and it can't just be to look a certain way for a certain someone, it can't be a fleeting reason, it's got to be a real reason, something deep down that can constantly motivate you even when the training and fitness gets tough.

Alison Stewart: Matt, I really appreciate you calling in with your candid story. Really sorry for your loss. Really happy you're taking care of yourself.

Let's talk to Joelle from North Bergen. Hi, Joelle.

Joelle: Hey, how's it going? I have two little girls, and I've been pretty fortunate that every time I've gone to my doctor, I haven't been diagnosed with diabetes or anything. This year, I just decided I should start running. I started going to the gym. Got a wife who was really supportive of my whole journey. I've been three weeks now running, and it feels great. My knees crack after I run, which I'm not sure if that's normal when you start, but I feel stronger. I could run longer. Even at the gym, I feel like I'm getting a lot stronger.

Alison Stewart: Good luck with your journey. Thank you for calling in and sharing, Joelle.

Pain was on your list, Danielle, of the reasons people decide not to engage in exercise. What can you offer people who are thinking, "I'm going to be in a lot of pain," or they find themselves in a bit of pain when they first start up?

Danielle Friedman: Yes. Well, and this goes back to the fitness myths piece, but no pain, no gain. You can basically throw that idea out the window. Basically, most experts advise, particularly when you're getting started, to work out at what they call a feels good level of intensity, a conversational level of intensity. You're pushing yourself. You feel the burn, it's a quote, Jane Fonda, but you're able to chat, you don't feel like you're huffing and puffing. There's something that feels invigorating about it.

A lot of people find pain to be a barrier, not just anticipated pain while exercise, but living with just backaches, chronic pain of one form or another. One thing that I learned that might seem counterintuitive is that for many people who deal with certain forms of chronic pain, muscle and joint discomfort, physical activity will likely help to make it better. Even though it's more of a management than a cure, it also holds the potential to basically help expand what you're able to do comfortably.

I interviewed one rehab physician who talked about a patient who used to be able to really just even go into the mailbox to get his mail was uncomfortable. Now, while he's not free of pain, he's able to throw a ball with his grandson and just do so much more. There's a lot of potential there. The last thing that I would say is that I'm a really big proponent of gentle movement. This has become a cliché but of really listening to your body. If you're really struggling, and you're really hurting, don't do something, don't embark on a workout that feels like a beating. Listen to your body.

Alison Stewart: What about people who really think, "I have no time. I have to get the kids to school, I have to go to work, I have to make meals, I have to deal with the dog." Generally speaking, how often should you work out to see some benefit?

Danielle Friedman: Okay, well, any movement is better than no movement. That we know. The official recommendation is basically 150 minutes a week of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity, and two sessions of about 20 minutes of resistance training, strength training activity. That can be broken down in however it works for you, whether it's 30 minutes of brisk walking five times a week, or even in a given day, taking-- The concept of movement bursts has really taken off over the last few years. If you don't have 30 minutes to go exercise, maybe every hour between meetings, do a few lunges, or when you get up to use the restroom, take a few laps, or multitask. While you're taking calls, maybe consider walking around the block or around your apartment. There are ways to incorporate it that don't require as much a designated window to do it.

Alison Stewart: Got a text from Pat, "The gym is right nearby, my brother's also a member. We made sure the parking lot wouldn't be a mess when we signed up. Most importantly, we keep each other accountable to stay on top of fitness. We use different machines, but we still consider each other workout buddies."

We've got a text that says, "My old building had a gym, my new longtime one doesn't. Hadn't had a crunch membership since my 20s in the '90s, return summer 2023. Some of the best money ever spent. I love the classes. Also, own a foldable mini trampoline for decades, you can jump using a stairwell landing to spare downstairs neighbors."

Danielle Friedman: I love that.

Alison Stewart: That's gets to my next question. Some people are like, "I can't afford a gym, honestly." For people who have cost issues, what guidance would you give them?

Danielle Friedman: Yes, that is a really big and important barrier for a lot of people. If you have access to a safe outdoor space, you can make the outdoors your gym, running, walking, even doing resistance trading bodyweight exercises outside, and you get the added benefit of being in nature, which has been shown to do all sorts of wonderful things for our mood and mental health.

One of the experts that I interviewed basically put it to me as you can turn your body into its own gym, and I love that idea. If you have basically a yoga mat's worth of space in your home, you can do a pretty amazing array of bodyweight exercises that can help you get and stay really strong. If you can afford a jump rope too and your neighbors aren't going to start yelling at you through the ceiling, you can even get a little cardio workout in that space.

Alison Stewart: Let's talk to Priscilla from Brooklyn. Hi, Priscilla, you're on the air.

Priscilla: Hi, Alison. Love your show.

Alison Stewart: Thanks.

Priscilla: I think this has been a resolution for me for the last 20-plus years. I'm 44. I've never been able to have a discipline of exercise. Then this year, a friend recommended to me a running app, and I said, "No, I'm not a runner." She said, "Every not runner that I know started running with this app." I tried it. It's the Nike Run app, and there's a coach on there called Coach Bennett who I love. I have since learned that there's a little bit of a cultish following for him. He is known as the Ted Lasso of running coaches, not because he doesn't know anything about running but because he's very kind.

I've been running for three weeks. He just talks in your ear. It's a guided run, it's a beginner plan, and he's so encouraging. I feel like he's talking only to me. Hopefully I'll be able to keep it up. I wanted to shout out Coach Bennett.

Alison Stewart: Priscilla, thank you so much for calling in. We got a great text here that says, "A great habit tool is Micro Workouts. Just do a minute or a few minutes long to keep the habit going for "bad or busy days" and get the exercise habit going when starting out." Thanks for the text.

As we're starting to wrap up the segment, Danielle, of the myths that you reported on, which is the one that surprised you the most?

Danielle Friedman: I was quite taken aback by the notion that running is actually protective for your knees. I was also pretty surprised by what I learned about stretching. Even though I knew that static stretching, the kind of stretching we all did in gym class where you just stand there and pull your quad back, I knew that there was some debate around it. I learned that when you static stretch before working out, you actually temporarily weaken your muscles. You're working against yourself. Not only does it not help you, but it may actually work against you. This is not to say stretching isn't important. It's just better to do it at a time that's separate from when you're going to be moving. Much better, before working out, is doing a dynamic warmup. Moving to get your body ready to move more intensely.

Alison Stewart: Danielle Friedman reports for The New York Times on fitness and wellness. Danielle, thank you so much for taking our listeners' calls and sharing your reporting with us.

Danielle Friedman: Thank you so much. This has been so much fun.

Alison Stewart: That is All Of It for today. Tomorrow's show, we're going to talk about stalking, what it is, how to guard against it, and what's to do if it's happening to you. I'm Alison Stewart. I appreciate you listening. I appreciate you, and I will meet you back here next time.

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