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Getting Started With Exercise

April 7th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed

The benefits of physical activity are undeniable, it is the number one preventive action that a person can under take in order to remain healthy. Exercising on a regular basis will help ensure that you live a long productive life by strengthening your lungs, heart, mind, immune system, bones, muscles, and spirit. Living longer is indeed a goal of all of us, but we also want to be healthy and functioning for all the years we have left as well.

It is very apparent that as a society we do not partake in adequate amounts of physical activity, sedentary life styles have become the norm. Many medical conditions and diseases are considered preventable and yet we are seeing drastic increases in the occurrence of many of them such as obesity, diabetes, cancers, heart disease, strokes, and osteoporosis.

Incorporating small changes will have a huge impact on your overall health and wellness.
Cardio activities and weight lifting are probably the most commonly known forms of exercise however there are many options of physical activity to improve your cardiovascular health, build muscles and bone and improve flexibility and balance. It is a myth that you have to spend hours a day in a gym in order to get fit and healthy. Many activities that you can do on your own or with your family can offer a total body workout while having fun.
-go for a bike ride
-take a walk
-go play in the park
-shot some hoops
-go for a swim
-dance
-play hop scotch or jump rope
-go skiing
-go bowling
-play tennis
-play racquet ball
-play horse shoes
-do some yoga or Tai chi in your backyard or living room (these are very good for balance and flexibility)
The important thing to remember is just get moving and do activities that you enjoy. Involve your kids, grandkids or the family dog, have a secondary motivation will make the activity fun instead of a chore. The more family and friends you can involve the better, in the end it is up to you to get yourself off the couch and up and moving.

When deciding how much physical activity you want to engage in as a part of your active lifestyle you need to be honest about your goals. If you are looking to improving your overall health then it is recommended that you engage in at least 3 - 30 minute sessions a week of moderate aerobic exercise. Moderate exercise means that you are breaking into a sweat but you can still carry on a conversation. You should also incorporate 2 or 3 sessions of resistance training into your week, if you don’t like lifting weights try palates or yoga. No matter what activities you choose to do always remember to stretch all your major muscle groups before and after your workout to avoid injury and soreness the next day.

It should be noted that if your goal is to look like a body builder the above recommendations will not get your there but if you are looking to improve your overall health and wellness these should get you well on your way. Be consistent, change things up, stay hydrated and have fun.