Aerobics to Weights

Exercise tips from a nurse researcher
By Sara Michael

Knowing how to best live a healthy lifestyle can become confusing, but according to nurse researcher David A. Boley II, MS, ANP-BC, “exercise is how we maximize our potential for a healthy life.”

Boley became interested in exercise training for health-related fitness after his father suffered a heart attack at the age of 54. Boley later became a personal trainer and now, as an Advanced Practice Nurse and doctoral nursing student, is focusing his research on the role of exercise in long-term health.

With long-term health in mind, Boley recommends:

Choose an activity you enjoy. “The benefits of exercise can be achieved through a lot of different activities,” Boley says. From bodybuilding to Pilates to simple calisthenics, exercise can vary widely, and any type of exercise can be adapted to account for limitations such as age or physical disability.

Focus on muscle strengthening. “Whatever it is, it should have some components that challenge the strength of the muscles in your body,” Boley says. We have a tendency to focus too much on aerobic exercise, he notes, but it’s also important to work out with weights or resistance.

Exercise regularly. Exercise should be performed at regular intervals to maintain muscle quality. After establishing a regular routine of strength-training exercise, the regimen can be adapted and altered as a person’s fitness level improves. “The very first step, though,” says Boley, “is to establish the habit of doing one thing on a regular basis.”