5 Tips to Make the Most Out of Your Exercise
You probably already know that exercise is good for you. It helps you lose weight, sleep better, boosts your energy level and fights chronic illnesses like high blood pressure, osteoporosis and heart disease.
But did you know that some exercises are better than others?
Not all exercises are created equal. It's important to choose the right ones so that you get the most benefits out of your exercise routine. Here are some tips and advice to help you enjoy the maximum amount of benefits from the workout routines you choose.
1. Get Physical Activity Requirements
According to the US Department of Health and Human Services adults should get at least two-and-a-half hours of moderate intensity aerobic activity every week. If the exercise is vigorous-intensity physical activity, then the requirement is a minimum of 75 minutes a week. It's also acceptable to choose a combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity.
So, what does this really mean?
It means that general gardening, brisk walking and ballroom dancing are acceptable forms of moderate-intensity activity. High-intensity is categorized as jumping rope, jogging or aerobic dancing.
It means that you should try to get about 30 minutes of exercise in a day.
You shouldn't cram in your week's requirement of exercise into one day. Ideally you should spread your exercise over the week. If you're like many people and don't have a lot of free time, it's perfectly acceptable to perform the required physical activity in 10 minute increments.
If you would like to enjoy more extensive health benefits, the US Department of Health and Human Services suggests that you increase your physical activity to at least five hours a week of moderate-intensity activity or two-and-a-half hours of vigorous intensity a week. A combination of the two levels of activity is acceptable too.
2. Don't Forget the Strength Training
Muscle is important to increase bone density and reduce your risk of osteoporosis. More muscle mass also makes your body a more efficient fat-burning machine which can make it easier to lose weight.
According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, you should have at least two sessions a week of strength training exercises. Choose exercises that target all your major muscle groups and make each strength training session between 20 to 30 minutes. Set a goal to complete 12 to 15 repetitions of each exercise.
Whatever goals you choose for yourself, make sure they're realistic. You can always increase your goals when you find the original ones are too easy.
3. Make Sure Your Routine is Rounded
A balanced routine involves four elements to make sure you're working all areas of your body and getting the maximum health benefits.
These four elements are:
· Aerobic training- To increase your heart rate and make your heart stronger.
· Muscle and core training -To increase muscle mass and core muscle building to help support your spine.
· Stretching - To improve the range of motion in your joints.
· Balance training - To reduce the chance of injury due to falls
4. Mix it Up
Boredom can make exercise a chore in no time. Keep your interest in staying fit by mixing up your physical activities.
Use your imagination and you'll discover it doesn't take much effort to do this. Try biking to and from work three days a week instead of walking daily for 30 minutes. Play a sport once a week. Choose a different biking/walking/jogging route. Vary the music you choose to listen to as you exercise. Try to beat your own personal records.
5. Keep Track of What You Do
Create a fitness log. It doesn't need to be anything complicated. All you need are a few sheets in a binder. Make each sheet a day and write down how long you've spent on each type of exercise. This way you'll be able to accurately keep track of the exercise you do and monitor your progress.
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