If you’re like a lot of people, you fully understand the fact that you should be getting regular exercise, but you don’t always have the time to do so. Sure, life can be busy and hectic, but that’s not an excuse to slack off on your physical fitness regimen. If you truly wish to get in shape and stay that way, regular workouts are not an option: they’re an absolute necessity. In the name of optimum health for everyone, no matter how busy their life happens to be, we are pleased to present these helpful hints.
Is physical activity really that important?
Yes, it really is. According to the National Institutes of Health, habitual exercise and regular physical activity are imperative to good health, especially among seniors. Physical activity, when done regularly, helps people to remain vital and able to do the things they enjoy well into their golden years. Regular exercise may also allow older folks to stay as independent as possible for as long as possible. In addition, repeated physical exertion may induce a number of long-term health benefits.
Small physical activities are better than no exercise at all
Physical activities are actually easy to incorporate into your day to day life. Short spurts of physical exertion add up and may increase your stamina as well as your fitness level. When you go to the grocery store, park at the far end of the lot and enjoy the stroll. When given the choice between taking a stairway or an elevator, opt to take the stairs for a nice cardio activity. Something as simple as raking fallen leaves into a pile and bagging them provides more exercise than you might imagine and does wonders for your yard, too.
Workout for free
Visit your local public library, and check out a selection of entertaining exercise videos. Enjoy a brisk walk alone or with a friend. Put a little extra effort into housework, and learn to think of your vacuum cleaner as a free and effective workout machine. To see videos that have helped a lot of people lose weight and get in shape, click here. There are exercise opportunities everywhere you look, if you take the time to notice.
Busy people who say they want to work out but don’t have time can make time for exercise every morning. The trick is to start moving before you even get out of bed. Easy stretches and deep breathing are a great way to start the day and require hardly any time at all. When you get out of bed, do a few squats and lunges to really get your blood moving and your day started right. Roll over and do a few pushups, too.
Benefits of regular exercise
If you want to live longer and feel better, you’ve got to take charge of your own health. Nobody else can move your body for you, and nobody can force you to eat a healthful diet. Those things are up to each individual.
Exercise can help you to manage your weight. Every time you move, your body burns calories as fuel. The more intense your exertion, the more calories you burn. When you burn more calories than you consume, weight loss is inevitable. It doesn’t take a lot of time, either. Walk farther, clean a little bit harder, and excess pounds may fall away in a hurry.
Regular exercise can help you avoid heart disease and high blood pressure. Physical activity, no matter what your current weight, boosts “good” cholesterol and lowers health-damaging triglycerides. This two-part benefit maintains a smooth flow of blood in your arteries and veins and reduces your risk of heart attack, stroke and other maladies associated with high cholesterol and blocked blood vessels. As a bonus, regular exercise may prevent metabolic syndrome issues, type 2 diabetes, some kinds of cancer, and depression, says Mayo Clinic.
Exercise can improve your mood in wonderful ways. If you find yourself in dire need of an emotional lift after a hard day at work, a sprightly 30-minute walk can raise your spirits dramatically. This happens because physical activity stimulates the production of serotonin and other brain chemicals that help you feel happier and more at ease with the world.
Staying active throughout the day is simple, if you pay attention. Take a bicycle to work, if you can. If you can’t, enjoy a bicycle ride on the weekend to extend your life and feel better, too. You’re sure to find that every small effort pays off in a very big way.
Amber Pearson is a Mom who once upon a time did no exercise. But the birth of her daughter forced her to change her ways and now Amber is encouraging other Moms to get fit with her. She runs a weekly fitness class in her home town and writes fitness articles.
