Living a healthy lifestyle should be a goal for everyone. This means participating in regular exercise that includes both strength training and cardio. You don’t have to hire a fitness trainer to reap the healthy benefits of exercise. However, you do need to commit to a regular exercise program. In the following, we will answer basic exercise questions such as what exercise you should be doing and for how long?
What Exercise Should You Do?
If you have no particular goal in mind – such as weight loss or training for a particular competition or sport, then the answer to this questions is simple – do what you enjoy. If you’re looking to exercise in order to maintain good health, pick an exercise that you enjoy doing and will continue to do on a regular basis, be it swimming, running, aerobics class, yoga, walking, cycling, or whichever.
The 2 things that stop most people from continuing their exercise routine are boredom and injury. When choosing which exercises you want to do, keep in mind:
- Cardio (aerobic) burns more calories than strength or resistance, and
- A range of different activities will use difference muscle groups and you will be less likely to develop an injury (and get bored).
If you don’t know what exercise you like doing, allow yourself to explore and participate in various trials. Experiment and do one activity one week, and a different activity another week. Give yourself the opportunity to also try activities that you haven’t done in a while – perhaps you might find something you like that you didn’t enjoy before.
How Often and for How Long Should I Be Exercising?
For the biggest benefit, you should start at 3-4 times per week and work up to the government’s recommendation of 5-6 times per week for 30-45 minutes each time.
How do you ensure that you remain consistent with your exercise routine?
- Schedule your workouts and make them a priority.
- Don’t do too much too fast, or you risk an injury and giving up.
- Keep a daily log of both your diet and exercise. Little steps can add up to big progress.
- Don’t compensate for your workouts by eating more or doing less for the rest of the day.
Total body-wellness is a lifestyle choice. Portion control, healthy food choices, and staying active will contribute to a long and healthy life. Take advantage of the benefits of a regular exercise program and do something that you will enjoy. It doesn’t have to be a chore if you don’t treat it like one!
For more information on fitness training or exercise, please contact us at (509) 922-1909.