Think a single type of exercise will take care of all your needs? These tips can help you build a comprehensive fitness plan to improve your health and waistline.
Edited by: TJVNews.com
What are the best exercises for me?
For many of us, even when we understand how much regular exercise can improve our mental and physical health, the real challenge lies in developing an exercise routine that we can stick with. Its much easier to get up and get moving every day when you actually experience the results youre looking forwhether thats trimming your waistline, improving your sleep, mood, and energy, or easing symptoms of stress, anxiety, or depression.
Whatever benefits youre looking for from a fitness planand whatever your current fitness levelthe key is to mix different types of physical activity. The most effective exercise plans should include a mix ofthree elements: cardio (or aerobic) training, strength training, and flexibility and balance exercises. This will not only maximize the health benefits, it will also keep your workouts varied and interesting.
Of course, you can always sign up for personal training sessions at a gym, find workout plans online, or download a fitness app, but developing the right exercise plan doesnt have to be that complicated or expensive. These simple guidelines can help you make the most of your time and reap all the health and weight loss rewards of regular exercise.
How much exercise do I need?
The important thing to remember about exercise is that something is always better than nothing. By simply sitting less and moving more throughout your day, you can experience health benefits. For substantial health benefits, though, government guidelines in the U.S., UK, and other countries recommend that you aim for:
At least150 minutes (2.5 hours)of moderate-intensityactivity per week. Thats 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week, broken down into 10-minute bursts if thats easier.
OR
At least 75 minutesofvigorous-intensityexercise per weekwill deliver the same benefits, if your fitness level allows you to work out harder. That means running for 15 minutes, for example, instead of walking briskly for 30 minutes.
OR
You can combine both moderate- and vigorous-intensity exercise, remembering the general rule of thumb that 2 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise is the equivalent of 1 minute of vigorous-intensity activity.
AND DONT FORGET TO
Include muscle-strengthening activity at least twice a weekas part of your weekly totals.
Looking to lose weight?
You can gain additional health benefits by exercising for 300 minutes or more at moderate-intensity (or 150 minutes or more of vigorous-intensity exercise) each week. This can be especially beneficial for weight loss.
Start slowly
If youve never exercised before or have been sedentary for a long time, its advisable (after consulting with your doctor) to start off slowly and gradually build up to these activity levels. Instead of 30 minutes of walking 5 days a week, for example, start with 5 or 10 minutes and build up from there.
How many days a week should I work out?
A recent study in the UK found that people who squeeze all their exercise into one or two sessions over the weekend experiencealmostas many health benefits as those who work out more often. However, spreading your exercise sessions across three or more days a week may help reduce your risk of injury and keep your energy levels up throughout the week.
Moderate-intensity vs. vigorous-intensity exercise
Whether an activity is low, moderate, or vigorous intensity depends a lot on your personal fitness level. A brisk jog, for example, may be low intensity for a seasoned athlete but vigorous intensity for someone whos never exercised before.
Vary the intensity for faster results
Its safe to say that the ultimate goal for most people who exercise is to boost fitness while spending less time working out. But while most purported shortcuts are simply too good to be true, interval trainingbursts of vigorous-intensity activity alternating with lower-intensity activitycan actually deliver results.
For example, once youve warmed up, instead of walking at a moderate-intensity pace for 30 minutes, try interval training for 20 minutes. Walk at a moderate-intensity pace for one minute followed by jogging at a vigorous-intensity pace for one minute, then back to brisk walking for a minute, and so on. Or, you could alternate brisk walking with skipping rope or doing push-ups.
Alternating intensity in this way not only delivers cardiovascular benefits but can help you to squeeze a better workout into a shorter period of time. And as long as your doctor has cleared you to safely exercise this way, it can also help you lower your blood pressure, lose weight (especially around your middle), and maintain muscle mass. Interval training can also be a great way to vary your workouts and challenge your muscles in new ways.
Element 1: Cardio exercise
What it is:Cardiovascular or aerobic exercises are endurance activities that use your large muscle groups in rhythmic motion over a sustained period of time. Cardio workouts get your heart pumping and youll breathe harder than normal and may even feel a little short of breath. Cardio activities include:
Why its good for you:Whatever your age, cardio can help to increase your lung capacity, strengthen your heart and muscles, and improve your stamina and endurance. Cardio workouts can also:
Walking: an easy introduction to cardio exercise
Walkingbriskly for just 22 minutes a day will help you to reach your minimum weekly goal of 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity exerciseand in the process, lower your risk of heart disease and obesity. Walking doesnt require any special skills or training. Aside from a comfortable pair of shoes, you dont need any specialized equipment, and it can be done almost anywhere. You just have to resolve to get up and go.
Look for creative ways to fit a brisk walk into your daily schedule.Ditch the car and walk to the grocery store, for example, or take a walk during your lunch hour, or walk while youre talking on the phone.
Use a walk to clear your head.Use the time to take a break from the stressors of everyday life and give yourself some precious alone time. Fresh air and some time to think can work wonders for your mood.
Or make it a social event and walk with others. Invite friends, family members, or work colleagues to walk with you. Taking a walk can provide a great opportunity to catch up with an existing friend or strengthen the bond with a new one.
Enjoy time in nature. Walking in parks, on beaches, or along hiking trails or riverbanks can add to the mood boost you experience from exercising. Spending time in nature can release endorphins, the brains feel-good chemicals that improve mood and relieve stress.
Walk in a mall or on a treadmill. When the weathers bad, you can walk briskly around a mall while window shopping or use a treadmill in a gym or health club and catch up on your favorite TV show or podcast.
Walk a dog.If you dont own a dog, you canvolunteerto walk homeless dogs for an animal shelter or rescue group. Youll not only be helping yourself but also be helping to socialize and exercise the dogs, making them more adoptable.
Try mindful walking
Adding a mindfulness element to a walk can help break the flow of worries and negative thoughts that many of us experience when were stressed, anxious, or depressed. Instead of focusing on your thoughts, focus on how your body feels as you move. Notice the sensation of your feet hitting the ground, for example, or the feeling of the wind or sunlight on your skin, or the rhythm of your breathing.
Element 2: Strength training
What it is:Strength training, sometimes called resistance or power training, builds up muscles with repetitive motion using resistance from free weights, weight machines, elastic bands, or your own body weight. Power training is often strength training done at a faster speed to increase power and reaction times.
Examples of strength and power training activities include:
Why its good for you:Strength training builds and tones muscle and increases lean muscle mass. Aside from improving how you look and feel, resistance and power training can also:
The dos and donts of strength training
You dont need to spend hours every day lifting weights to enjoy the benefits of strength training. Exercising the major muscle groupslegs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and armsin 20- to 30-minute sessions twice a week is enough to deliver results and help keep you toned and strong.
Neither do you need to invest in a gym membership or buy expensive equipment for use at home. Inexpensive resistance bands can be used to exercise nearly every muscle in the bodyand they can also fit easily into a bag or suitcase so you dont need to put your fitness regime on pause when youre traveling or on vacation. There are even plenty of exercises you can do using your own body weight as resistance.
(www.HelpGuide.org)
Originally posted here:
Best Exercises for Health and Weight Loss - The Jewish Voice
