We all know that movement is good for us, that it helps us physically and mentally, or we at least know that we feel better when we have some activity every day. In this blog series I am going to hopefully convince you that movement is absolutely essential for good health and proper function of our bodies and minds. I am also going to give you numerous suggestions for ways to add a little more activity (or a lot if you so choose 😊) into your daily life to help improve your own health and feel better and happier.
Recommendations of the American Heart Association:
1. That adults should achieve either 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity every week. You should also do muscle strengthening at least 2 days per week.
2. Older adults are recommended to have 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity, at least 2 days of strengthening activities while adding in activities that challenge their balance.
3. Kids and teens are recommended to have at least 60 minutes of moderate intensity activity every day with a step up to vigorous intensity at least 3 days per week. As part of their 60 minutes, they should also include muscle strengthening 3 days per week and bone strengthening activities 3 days per week.
4. Pregnant women (during and after pregnancy) are recommended to have 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity per week and strengthening activities at least 2 days per week.
While keeping these recommendations in mind, don’t panic yourself or get all worked up thinking that it is impossible. There are always options available to you to achieve this with flying colors:
· You can break up your ‘workout time’ into small segments throughout the day or even just incorporate it into what you are already doing.
· Aiming for moving 30 minutes per day is one of the best things that we can do for ourselves- it improves our sleep, physical and mental health. You can even break this up into 2- 15-minute workouts or walks around your home, neighborhood or even at lunchtime at work.
· Even a quick 5-minute exercise session can get your heart racing, plus dedicated small bursts of activity is enough to help you form a habit over time. If these quick bursts are at a higher intensity level, then they will have a positive effect on your metabolism and also release stress-busting hormones throughout your day- leading to both mental and physical improvements. These effects over time will help you ward off chronic disease. Three of these during the day will improve cardiovascular health and increase aerobic fitness, and can possibly increase the fat burning process after the exercises are completed through the post-workout effect.
· Studies show that non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) or non-exercise physical activity (NEPA) is far more important for overall health and longevity than formal exercise. NEAT and NEPA are scientific terms for basically our every-day activities. Formal exercise is very important, but we have so many more opportunities for informal movement throughout the day in our daily lives, that it can have a much greater impact on our health, wellbeing and longevity.
· The focus of doing these NEPA and NEAT activities is not necessarily to lose weight, yes, we will increase our metabolism some, but these kinds of activities are also very good for your cardiovascular system and they might help you to live longer. Plus, it is known that regular movement impacts people’s lives both mentally and physically.
· A sedentary lifestyle has been linked to a number of health issues including heart disease, obesity, diabetes, depression and it is a risk factor for early death.
· Research published in 2019 noted that even if you work out every day- sitting for 13 hours per day and only taking 4000 steps will blunt the benefits of that exercise and increase the risk of insulin resistance, poor blood sugan control, and a high level of triglycerides. These increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It also increases the risk several types of cancers.
· Prolonged sitting can lead to muscle degeneration, weight gain, back and neck problems.
· Our patterns of minimal movement are not enough to combat the above noted problems. We need more movement throughout our day- regardless of what you do, just start moving.
· Movement is beneficial for our mental and physical health. Some know benefits include:
1. It improves long-term health.
2. It improves circulation.
3. It regulates digestion.
4. It increases flexibility.
5. It improves joint health.
6. It improves balance / Decreases risk of falls.
7. It helps regulate your weight.
8. It reduces risk of a heart attack by lowering blood pressure.
9. It gives you more energy.
10. It improves your cholesterol.
11. It makes your bones and muscles stronger.
12. It improves your immune system function.
13. It improves your sleep.
14. It improves productivity and creativity.
15. It reduces stress, anxiety and depression.
16. It increases mental clarity.
17. It improves focus and concentration.
18. It reduces risk of cognitive impairment as we age.
19. It makes you an all-around happier person.
Have I convinced you yet that we need to get up off our bottoms a little more every day? If so, stay tuned for A LOT of tips over the next few posts to do just that- whether you are working in the office, working from home or a stay-at-home parent we can always move a little more!
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Next Time:
Stay tuned for my next blog in 2 weeks for How to Incorporate Movement into Your Busy Day! Part 2: 24 Tips for adding movement when you are busy at the office or in your home office.
Author: Jen Hassaj | 3-6-2024
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