A sedentary lifestyle has long been linked to health concerns like obesity, heart ailments, and type 2 diabetes among others. This is why health advocates have been promoting regular exercise or physical activity as a tool to stay healthy. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to start a gym membership or engage in a new sport. According to a US Surgeon General report “Physical activity need not be strenuous to achieve health benefits.” Adding some type of physical activity in your daily routine can help you get started.
There are plenty of ways to get your daily dose of physical activity without spending a dime. Doing house chores is considered as physical activity as it requires you to move your body for a certain period of time. For instance, washing windows or floors for 45 minutes to an hour is an example of moderate physical activity. This can be done in one bout or at 15 or 30-minute intervals. Doing yardwork, vacuuming, and washing your car also chores that can provide you with physical activity that help you stay healthy. However, doing household chores may not be enough if you have fitness or weight loss goals that you want to achieve.
In order to gain health benefits from physical activities it is recommended for adults to engage in moderate intensity activities for at least 150 minutes a week and do strengthening exercises for all major muscle groups at least twice a week. Brisk walking and climbing up and down the stairs for about 15 minutes can be considered as moderate physical activity while carrying a baby or grocery bags can help strengthen your arm muscles. If your grocery store is just a 15-minute walk from your house, then you can easily meet your minimum physical activity requirement with frequent trips to the grocery store.
To get more benefits from your physical activities step it up to vigorous levels. This can be as simple as executing your moderate physical activities with added speed and intensity. For example, you can switch from brisk walking to jogging or go from dancing to getting a full aerobic exercise. Don’t forget to add muscle strengthening activities in your routine. This can be done by doing exercise that make use of your own body weight or using dumbbells and similar tools. Engaging in vigorous physical activity can cut down your minimum time allocation of 150 minutes a week to just 75 minutes a week. But why cut down on your physical activity when you can benefit more by moving more often.
Those who are really serious about staying fit and healthy may want to follow the approach of the American College of Sports Medicine which recommends:
- 20 to 60 minutes of continuous aerobic activity three to five times a week, at 60% to 90% of your maximum heart rate.
- Resistance training two to three days a week. One set of eight to 10 exercises for major muscle groups (eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise).
There are also very vigorous physical activities that you can get into on a regular basis to stay healthy. Examples of these include circuit training, lifting heavy weights, interval running, and other High Intensity Interval Training activities. However, not everyone is fit for this level of physical activity. In most cases, you have to start with moderate activities and move your way up to very vigorous ones. It is always best to assess you general health condition and consult a physician first before engaging in vigorous physical activities.
Aside from reducing your risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart ailments, regular physical activities can also help improve your mood and general well-being. Now is always a best time to start getting active to stay health. So what are you waiting for? Make your move now.
