Get Up and Get Movin’
Researchers believe that one of the most significant contributors to obesity is that your lifestyles today doesn’t contain enough physical activity. Modern conveniences that are supposed to make your lives easier are making us physically unfit. There is a drive-up window for everything from food to prescriptions. People are working longer hours at sit down jobs and homework takes the place of the evening walk.
In terms of weight management and weight loss, diet combined with exercise yields a more positive result than either one does on its own. Physical activity can reduce your risk of chronic disease, improve your balance and coordination, help you lose weight and can even improve your sleep habits and self-esteem.
Take a look at your lifestyle and determine realistic ways you can become more active. Walking is the easiest way to add physical activity to your daily life.
Sneak Exercise Into Your Day
• Choose a less convenient parking space
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Do housework at a fast pace
• Walk all or part of the way to work
• Go for a walk during your break
If you find the prospect of taking on yet another project a bit overwhelming, you may find it helpful to create a plan and divide the work into manageable pieces. The good news? Exercising daily will help to stabilize your blood sugar levels, improve heart health, increase strength as well as stamina, and help you sleep. You’re only a few steps away from a healthier lifestyle.
How Intense Does It Have to Be?
Many will be happy to hear that exhaustive amounts of exercise are not needed for heart health. In fact, according to a study of sedentary overweight men and women, how much you exercise may be more important than how hard you exercise in terms of heart health.
In the journal CHEST, researchers from North Carolina report that people who walk briskly for 12 miles per week or for about 125 to 200 minutes per week will significantly improve their aerobic fitness and lower their risk of developing heart disease.
To better understand the effects of different amounts of exercise on aerobic fitness, 133 overweight sedentary men and women who showed signs of rising cholesterol levels were randomly selected to participate in a study conducted by Brian D. Duscha from Duke University Medical Center in Durham. They participated in one of three studies; 7 to 9 months of no exercise; low amount/moderate intensity exercise and low amount/vigorous intensity; or high amount/vigorous intensity. After completing their exercise assignment, all of exercisers had improvements, however, the vigorous intensity exercisers did not get any “fitter” than the moderate intensity exercisers. “The moderate intensity group only exercised to 40 or 50 percent of their max,” Duscha explained. “That’s walking briskly up a hill or walking fast—you could walk around the neighborhood after dinner and get that in. You don’t have to go jog, climb on the stairmaster or elliptical trainer and kill yourself.”
How Much Exercise Do You Need?
Talk to your doctor about how much exercise is right for you. A good goal for many people is to work up to exercising 4 to 6 times a week for 30 to 60 minutes at a time. Remember, though, that exercise has so many benefits that any amount is better than none.
How Do You Get Started?
Start by talking with your doctor. This is especially important if you haven’t been active, if you have any health problems, or if you’re pregnant or elderly. Start out slowly. If you’ve been inactive for years, you can’t run the Boston Marathon after 2 weeks of training.
Starting an exercise program is an important decision. But it doesn’t have to be an overwhelming one. By planning carefully and pacing yourself, you can help establish a healthy habit that lasts a lifetime. But if you find that you can’t do it alone, I am here to help. If you’re ready to talk with me about how I can help you to get started on an exercise program, Click Here now.
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