Exercise
What’s your first thought reading this heading? Unbridled enthusiasm? Eye-rolling disdain? Somewhere in between? Don’t be put off, read on as a first step to assessing where you are with exercise and where you could be or need to be…
Why is it important?
Scientific research has proven that you can live longer and live better if you exercise, no matter how old you are. Your risk of developing serious health issues like heart disease, strokes, diabetes and cancer can be reduced and the risk of dying early is reduced by up to 30%. Exercising only once or twice a week can make a difference to your immediate and long-term health.
This is a win/win situation: exercise helps you feel good in the moment and helps you feel better and live longer.
Are you exercising enough?
Sorry to be blunt but it’s important to be honest with ourselves. If you’re active in your job or spend your days running around after kids, you are already on the right track. But if you are fairly sedentary day to day, you may be storing up problems that could be avoided with some minor adjustments to your lifestyle.
If your step count is regularly hitting the magic 10 000 mark, you don’t have to worry about the effects of inactivity. However, you still need to make sure your heart and muscles are getting the kind of workout they need to give you those lasting benefits.
Aerobic activity
Your heart needs to work moderately hard for 150 minutes a week or vigorously for 75 minutes. Spread this over at least 4 sessions in the week for maximum impact.
If you’re working moderately hard, you can feel your heart rate go up but you can still talk as you move. Once you are working vigorously, you’ll find it hard to talk as you move and might need a little while to regain your breath.
Types of moderate activity:
- walking at a brisk pace
- a gentle aerobics class
- leisurely swimming / riding a bike / dancing
- pushing a lawn mower
- hiking
- hoovering or other household chores
- playing active games
- general gardening
Types of vigorous activity:
- running
- fast swimming
- riding a bike fast or on hills
- walking up the stairs or up hills
- sports, like football, rugby, netball and hockey
- skipping
- aerobics
- gymnastics
- martial arts
Strength exercises
You’ll benefit from strength exercises if you do them at least 2 days a week. To test if they’re doing the job, they should make you need a short break before repeating the activity. And they don’t have to be done in a gym!
Examples of muscle workouts:
- carrying heavy shopping bags
- yoga
- pilates
- tai chi
- lifting weights
- working with resistance bands
- push-ups / sit-ups / planks
- heavy gardening
- lifting and carrying children
If you’ve read this far and are shaking your head because your time is tight or you already have so much on, do not give up! Ultimately you are worth the investment of time and effort and it can be achieved without stretching you too far.
Example of a weekly activity plan:
Monday – 30 minute walk after dinner (after food is apparently better for women and before food for men).
Tuesday – Vacuum the house (add in another chore if you’re faster than 30 mins). Relax with an online yoga session.
Wednesday – 1 hour class (use the internet if you can’t attend in person).
Thursday – Try to stand up more during the work day then do food shopping after work / dinner. Work those muscles by carrying the shopping bags – the further the better!
Friday – Keep trying to include movement breaks during the day and walk to the pub in the evening.
Saturday – Take the kids to the park and walk / play for at least 30 minutes.
Sunday – Day of rest? But there are probably chores needing done and you might enjoy getting out for some fresh air.
= more than 150 minutes of moderate activity and at least 2 strength exercise sessions achieved!
It might seem too organised to plan your activity for the entire week but, as with everything, fail to prepare = prepare to fail. If you mentally commit to at least a rough plan for the week, you tend to hold yourself more accountable than if you go with the flow. It’s much easier to find excuses to avoid activity when there are so many other things to get in your way.
Extra benefits
The hidden value of exercise brings more than just improved muscle tone and fitness – it’s great for your mental and emotional health too. The endorphins released when you exercise literally raise your spirits and you get the added satisfaction of congratulating yourself on being healthy!
It’s a common misconception that you can exercise your way to losing weight but that would need an awful lot of exercise. However, it can help burn some calories and if you have a tendency to over-eat, it’s a great way to distract yourself from that habit – it’s hard to eat crisps when you’re riding a bike or swimming!
