Exercise Every Day August 27 2016

The first Monday in September is 'Labor Day', but studies show that laboring (aka: exercising) even a short time every day can make a lifetime of difference. 

Experts agree that getting up and getting moving each day can do a world of good, but there are several schools of thought as to what exercises and duration are optimal.  Is “taking ten-thousand steps” a day better than “30-minutes of moderate movement”?  And what is 'moderate movement' anyway?

I don't believe in a “one-size-fits-all” approach to daily activity, but I do believe that doing something is necessary.  And consensus is that something should be done for 150 minutes (2 1/2 hours) over a one week / 7-day period. 

In order to choose the right 'something' - it has to be an activity that raises your heart rate and your body temperature.  As C&C Music Factory sings, "Gonna make you sweat".  Depending on your individual fitness level, that can be "moderate movement" activities such as:

walking fast

 

 

* water aerobics

 

 

riding a bike on level ground or with few hills

 

 

* hiking on an easy-to-moderate level trail

 

 

* mowing the lawn

 

 

* swimming at a medium speed / pace

 

Or "vigorous intensity", higher heart-rate raising activities like:

 

 

* jogging or running

 

 

* swimming laps quickly and continuously 

 

 

riding a bike fast or on hills

 

 

* tennis

 

 

* skipping rope

 

 

* an aerobics, spin or Zumba class

 

 

* martial arts

 

As for duration - do not feel that you have to do it all at one time.  A 2 1/2 hour chunk of time can be tough to fit in, and the point of exercising is to reduce stress, not add to it!  So, you can break your 150 minutes into five days of 30-minutes each.  And you can break it up even further throughout a day, as in 15 minutes or 1 mile in the morning and the second half at night when your schedule allows.