By Pat Mooney
For Coastal Senior

The rainy reigns of Bonnie, Charley, Frances and Ivan have ended and Savannah's summer swelter is finally fading. Even our friends from "up north" will find it comfortable outside during the day. Natives will reach for light jackets in the evening and the invigorating air of autumn will inspire the most sedentary of us to step lively. In the fall, long walks don't have to include time for a shower and change of clothes.

In many respects fall is the best time of year to start an exercise program. Summer can be just too blamed hot and muggy, winter can be yucky, spring is beautiful and the temperature is right, but pollen-laden air can clog the pipes. Beside pleasant temperatures and relatively low allergy risk, autumn exercise can minimize the unwanted effects of holiday meals. Wouldn't it be nice to go into the New Year and not have "Lose 15 lbs." on the resolution list?

But why bother? If you have a tendency toward the blues, you should know that many recent studies have confirmed earlier research that regular exercise can be as effective as anti-depressant medication in treating depression in a significant percentage of the senior population. There's also a syndrome called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) to consider. What's that? It's the formal name for a type of depression that is related to the shorter days and the longer nights of winter.

Regular exercise also helps reduce anxiety, stress and tension. You may have heard of the "Fight or Flight" response that describes how we respond to real or perceived threat? That response - which prepares our bodies and minds to respond to attack by either fighting or fleeing - is not useful in many threatening or stressful situations these days. You just get in a lot of trouble if you try to chase down and pummel the jerk who cut you off in traffic.

The "Fight or Flight" response loads stress chemicals into the body that degrade health if they aren't used up. Elevated blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, increased levels of blood clotting components, adrenaline and blood sugar are useful in a physical response to threat. If allowed to linger in the body, they turn into hypertension, racing pulse, strokes and heart attacks, anxiety and diabetes. Regular exercise is a way of using up these chemicals before they do harm.

An additional benefit of regular exercise is that you have more energy and you sleep better. Fit people look and feel better, have fewer aches and pains and get sick less often.

The physical and psychological ill effects of a "couch potato lifestyle" can be reversed through a regular exercise program. They can also be addressed by using medication and sometimes medication is a necessary and unavoidable treatment.

However medication and exercise have benefits and drawbacks. Medication is quick and easy to take but it requires a prescription, costs money and has unwanted or "side" effects. Both take time to act but medication may be a bit quicker. Exercise costs little, has minimal unwanted effects and doesn't require a prescription - but it takes significantly more time each day.

That's not all bad though. If you workout with a buddy, exercise time doubles as a social hour which also boosts the spirits. It can also be a time for quiet reflection. When exercise is compared to anti-depressants, longitudinal studies show that people who use the exercise option tend to stick with the program longer than those who take medication.

So what's the first step? Get checked out by your physician and tell him or her that you plan on beginning an exercise program. Your doctor may want to run tests that are specific to assessing your ability to exercise safely. Ask your doctor about an exercise plan that suits you and what cautions you should observe.

Next, decide what type of exercise you want to do. Take into consideration your personality and what you enjoy. If you're a sociable type, find an exercise buddy or join the Y, a fitness, aquatic, bicycle or running club. Another advantage of hooking up with a group is that you can benefit from the knowledge and experience of others. If you enjoy the solitude of a solo workout, don't think you must exercise with others. Savor the time alone. The prime focus is to do what you enjoy. You'll be more likely to continue and you'll get more benefit.

Consider your resources also. If you're on a limited budget, walking may be more suitable than joining a gym or buying a nice bicycle with accoutrements. Bad knees? Swimming or bicycling are more suitable than running?

Many people find it helpful to set a goal of some sort. Good goals are attainable in a reasonable time, have clear landmarks toward eventual success and are observable. "I'm going to participate in next year's Bicycle Ride Across Georgia - BRAG" is a better goal than, "I'm going to ride some next year."

An important characteristic of a good workout plan is gradual progression toward the goal. A general rule of thumb is to not increase your workouts by more than 10 percent per week. The "talk test" is another guide for many exercisers. "If you can't talk while you're working out, you're going too hard."

Invest in good workout equipment. A good pair of walking or running shoes invites regular use much more than ones that rub blisters on your feet. You'll enjoy a bicycle that fits you and runs well much more than one that you have to wrestle around the block. If you don't know how to tell the good from the bad or the ugly go to a pro shop that knows how to fit your equipment.

Be safe!

Finally, have patience and have fun. Pay close attention to the progress you make and expect plateaus. Let the little kid in you come out to play when you're working out because workouts are the adult version or recess.

Pat Mooney is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Savannah. You can email him with suggestions for future columns at patmooneylcsw@ bellsouth.net