[ad_1]
Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site.
Everyone knows that exercise is good for you. But not everyone knows how much. When you see the benefits of physical activity for health, they may seem almost too good to be true.
Regular exercise can help prevent heart disease and muscle weakness; control and treat chronic diseases such as diabetes, arthritis and hypertension; increase the strength of bones and muscles; improve brain function and sleep; and boost mood and improve your overall quality of life, says Dori E. Rosenberg, research associate at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute.
And it does all of this without causing the side effects of some of the prescription drugs used to treat these conditions.
While the percentage of Americans who exercise regularly increases, many still lag behind.
Only about half of adults enjoy 150 minutes of aerobic activity of moderate intensity (such as brisk walking) a week or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity (such as jogging) recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than a quarter of Americans are almost completely inactive and report virtually no exercise in a year, according to the latest survey of the Council on physical activity. This means that millions of Americans do not take advantage of the potential health benefits.
Becoming – and staying – constantly active can be a challenge even when you understand all the benefits. So follow the tips below to find simple ways to move, whether it's going for walks in the neighborhood, going to the gym or investing in equipment. home fitness. Before you realize it, aerobics exercises will be part of your routine.
Adapt the routine to the lifestyle
"Some people prefer to exercise by themselves at home. others prefer a social environment, "says Lyndon Joseph, an exercise physiologist in the Division of Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology of the National Institute of Aging. "Everything that makes you move and be active is what you should do."
Exercising at home on a treadmill or elliptical exerciser can facilitate physical activity because it eliminates many of the obstacles that people may be facing. For example, you will not have to worry about the weather, find a safe place to walk, get into traffic on the way to the gym, or jostle for equipment.
Strength training (like weightlifting) can be beneficial for your bones and muscles, but aerobic exercise in particular strengthens the heart, Joseph explains. And you do not need to run marathons to see the benefits. A brisk walk can be as beneficial as a more vigorous exercise.
"The latest guidelines for physical activity have examined all the evidence relating to physical activity and aerobic health and have shown that walking can offer many of the same benefits as any other type of exercise. of physical activity, "says Rosenberg. "But you may have to increase the speed to make it a moderate activity." (Depending on your fitness level, a moderate walk will typically be 3 to 4.5 mph, giving 13 to 20 minutes.)
Running or jogging can burn calories faster than walking and can potentially offer more benefits in terms of bone building. But not everyone can tolerate pounding, especially on a hard surface.
If you are concerned that your joints are stressed, exercising on an elliptical can be a good way to do aerobic exercise without impact, especially if you are looking for more intense activity.
For variety, try swimming, cycling, group lessons, dancing, hiking or tennis.
Make every minute count
You can shorten your exercise program by increasing its intensity.
You only need a minimum of 75 minutes of vigorous exercise a week. Even walking can be vigorous if you accelerate, raise or increase speed and incline if you use a treadmill.
Remember that an activity is better than no activity. Studies have shown that even 20 to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity, once or twice a week, would bring at least some health benefits. And a small study found that even 10 minutes of easy exercise seemed to have a positive effect on brain function immediately afterwards.
Build exercise in everyday life
Choosing a wick that turns exercise into a habit can help you establish a routine with which you stick. It could mean always jumping on the treadmill after brushing your teeth or stopping at the gym on the way back to work.
Preparing a detailed and concrete plan rather than setting an overall goal can also help you move forward, says Katherine L. Milkman, professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and co-director of the Behavior Change for Good Initiative.
"Block your dates and times in your calendar for which you plan to train this week," she says. One study found that people who joined a gym and went there four times a week could develop a habit that was important to them in just six weeks.
So try to get a regular exercise that you like. "When you find ways to make physical activity fun, you're more likely to do it than when you focus solely on its effectiveness," said Milkman. Soon, your health will improve and soon you will wonder why you did not start sooner.
Read more
How to choose a healthy granola
Why you must pay attention to your posture
Yes, exercise really plays a role in weight loss
[ad_2]
Source link