The Big Lebowski.  One of my favorite movies of all time.  There are a lot of  great life lessons in this movie and I'm going to share some of what I believe the Dude might believe about health related practices.

Lesson #2:  Strength Training

Think you have to life weights at least 3 times a week to make up for past insults to your body and to keep from looking like a prune.  Think again.  As we continue our journey into the Dude's philosophy of health behavior:  which is to say how to do the least with the greatest benefit, let's look at what works and what doesn't.

We all know it's hard to fit daily exercise into our routine, especially if you don't have a routine or if you're routine doesn't include exercise.  So what to do? 

Some say lift weights at least three times a week for 30 minutes to 1 hour a day.  Right!  If you're doing that, by all  means keep it up.  If you're not, how about engaging in strength training once a week?

Yes, that's what I said.  Once a week.  Research shows that people who lifted weights weekly for two months gained nearly as much lean muscle (3 pounds) as those who worked out three times a week.  It takes longer, but the results are about the same. 

When you are lifting weights, think slower not faster.  Going slow builds muscle faster and you're less likely to injure yourself.  Allow at least 3 to 4 seconds to lift and 3 to 4 seconds to lower the weight.  There's no rush here and no prize for going faster. 

Do you have to go to the gym and do this, cause that's not  going to happen.  No, a bag of sugar weighs 5 lb. and a can of corn weighs 2 lb.  If you want more, pick up the dog food bag (15 lb.) or something of similar weight.  Just remember as your dog eats the food, the bag gets lighter.

Remember, this is not about perfection.  It might seem like something we should all emulate, but you can aim for good enough.