Get Your Body Moving
The benefits of physical activity are hard to ignore – Going beyond weight management, exercise is a resource for improving mood, creating a sense of uplifting energy, and reducing the risk for disease and other unwanted illnesses. Getting your body moving and putting your muscles to work is the perfect recipe to looking and feeling your best. Those who haven’t prioritized an exercise routine may have a difficult time knowing what they should be doing - To simplify, here are the three things you can include in your lifestyle training regime.
1. Cardiovascular Training (Cardio) – An activity that can be done over a short period of time that will increase your heart rate and force your body to enhance its use of oxygen during activity (Waehner, Paige) - Some examples include;
- Walking/Jogging/Running
- Swimming
- Biking
- Stairs
- Climbing/Hiking
As we’ve discussed in ‘Understanding Proper Nutrition’ the calories you should consume are based on how many calories you use (or burn) per your weight - Cardio is great way to increase the number of calories used. A few extra benefits include, improved sleep quality, strengthened heart which lowers blood pressure, and expanded lung capacity which helps how you breathe during everyday activities.
A common misconception is, if you want results, you have to preform your activity as vigorous as possible until you're searching for air. Heart rate training allows you to perform your cardio activity at a pace that is determined by the speed and pace of your heart rate. To know what heart rate zone you should be in when training, I recommend seeking help from a professional.
* Tip - A good way to improve cardio exercises can be to slowly increase your time of exercise in increments of 5 minutes.
2. Strength Training (Lifting) – "I don’t want to lift weights because I don’t want to be bulky" – The truth is, fat accumulation is what creates a ‘bulky appearance.’ While strength training can increase muscle size, the idea that it will make you ‘bulky’ is a myth.
Any good exercise program is only as good as the diet that co-exists - However, if you want to build muscle and keep the fat off, incorporating a lifting routine is a must. It also lowers the risk of injury, increases strength, tightens your muscles, and also helps improve your sleep.
Some ways to include strength training; Free weight or machine exercises, body weight exercises, and resistance bands. If you're struggling to identify what your lifting regime should be, request assistance from a professional to provide a simple program.
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* Tip - A good baseline for your routine can be 4-5 exercises per workout in 3-4 rounds (sets) of 8-12 repetitions for each exercise.
3. Flexibility Training (Stretching) – Stretching is one of the best ways to warm up for and cool down from a workout.
When warming up prior to exercise, ‘Dynamic Stretches’ are recommended – This is an active movement where the muscle and joints go through a series of full range of motion movements that mimic the movements you will be preforming during your exercise.
When cooling down after a training session, ‘Static Stretches’ are your go to – This is done by extending the muscle to its furthest point and holding for 20-30 seconds.
Aside from being a safe way to start and end a session, stretching is great to calm your mind, release stress, improve posture, and of course increase your flexibility and performance.
It is understandable that you may have a current lifestyle or work schedule that limits your ability to make it to the gym everyday, and that’s okay. There are plenty of routines, and exercises that can be done while at home and on the go. Making it a priority will leave you no doubt that you are on your way to feeling and looking your best.
* Tip - It is recommended to spend 5-10 minutes warming and 5-10 before and after each exercise, especially to prevent injury.
Sources:
- Semeco, Arlene & Ward, Saralyn / The Top 10 Benefits of Regular Exercise - 2/9/2023
- Waehner, Paige / Everything You Need to Know About Cardio – 10/26/2022