The Importance Of An Active Lifestyle
Over the past 15 years or so, we have been told that a healthy lifestyle is important. Scientists recommend we should be accumulating on average 60 minutes of exercises a day in order to maintain healthy levels. What exactly does that number mean? Over the course of a regular day, we should be doing some sort of physical activity that adds up to approximately 60 minutes. Whether it is in the gym on the treadmill or just in the garden for the afternoon, adding physical activity is vital.
First we need to know what actually constitutes exercise. The term Healthy activity can be broken down in to three categories; Cardiovascular, Resistance, and Flexibility.
Cardiovascular training
It is recommended to do cardio 2 or 3 times a week. Depending on your fitness level., cardio can consist of a nice walk with your dog, or a vigorous run on the treadmill. Ideally you are trying to increase your cardio capacity. which has many health benefits.
Resistance Training
Part of living an active lifestyle is by doing some sort of resistance training at least 2 times a week. That doesn't mean you have to go to the gym and lift weights, you can easily do it at home by doing movements as simple as pushup and sit-ups, or by using something like resistance bands. Resistance training is just as important as cardiovascular activity and adds to your overall physical health.
Flexibility (stretching)
After you exercise, it is recommended you stretch for roughly 10 minutes, holding each stretch for 15-30 seconds. Stretching is crucial to maintain flexibility and reduce the chance of injury from exercise.
Benefits of Exercise
So now we know that working out is important, but what are the actually benefits of living an active lifestyle? Below are just 5 of the countless benefits of being active.
Reduces the Risk of Dying Prematurely - Those living a healthy active lifestyle live longer compared those who are more sedentary.
Lowers the risk of developing diabetes - Exercise keeps body fat in control and helps regulate sugar levels
Increase muscular strength - Having an increase in strength helps make daily activities less difficult.
Helps reduce the risk of heart disease - Regular exercise strengthens the heart, respiratory system, and lungs which aids to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Decreases Body Fat - Exercise along with a balanced diet will reduce body fat significantly.
As you can see there are many excellent benefits of living an active lifestyle. By adding a small amount of cardio, resistance training and some stretching to your daily routine, the overall benefits are almost endless. Essentially being healthy is about adding balance to your life. You don't have to be a Lance Armstrong, or a Venus Williams to be considered active, you just have to add some extra activities to you routine.
For more great info on athletics visit the womens sports forum a Community to discuss women's sports and chat about female athletes.
Or check out Ron's Article Blog
MORE RESOURCES:
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How to Pick a Good Personal Trainer
One of the major benefits of the YourBestBodyNOW
Program and several other programs like it is that you can lose weight and meet your fitness and weight loss goals
even if you have neither the time nor money to get a personal trainer.At the same time, if you do ultimately decide to hire trainer at some point,
I want to make sure that you are going about it in a way that will bring you the absolute
maximum benefit.
Core Strength Limits Arm and Leg Power
Core training has become such a hot topic in the exercise field recently and rightly so. Ask just about anyone what they understand about the body's core and you're likely to get an answer as it being the abdominal muscles.
Want a Flat Stomach? - Heres the Best Exercise
The best exercise for the stomach is probably not the one you're thinking of. It's not the traditional sit-up or ab crunch.
How To Get Started With Exercise: The Magic Pill Of Your Weight Loss Program
In a previous article, I mentioned the weight loss mantra of "Eat Less..
Warming Up Properly
In our 'Stretching' article series (http://optimumlife.co.
Why Core is Key
Do you currently suffer or have you ever suffered from any of the following: Lower back pain, frequent hamstring injuries, a twisted knee or a pulled shoulder?Have you ever considered that it may not be just the fact that you slipped and twisted something or your back simply 'goes'? It could be you need to strengthen your core?Core training is a buzzword in the fitness industry that's been around for a while now. The measure of its popularity can be seen in the increased use of stability balls or Swiss in gyms, books, classes & videos and the fact that big name clothing stores are even selling stability balls alongside underwear and belts!But in order to train something correctly we must understand exactly what it is we are training.
Get Out and Play: Top 7 Outdoor Exercises
Do you remember when our parents used to yell at us to go outside and play? They would get so tired of us running around the house munching junk food and fighting with our siblings that they would practically kick us out of the house!Well, we may not have the same child-like activities lined up to get outside for anymore, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't still get out and enjoy the world! Exercising outdoors has many benefits, and they include the following:- Little or no equipment needed to get a good workout- No crowded gyms or obnoxious people to put up with- No driving time to the local fitness facility- No need to put on makeup or special clothing to workout at the gym- Vitamin D enhancing sunshine for our skin- The ability to workout anytime, anywhere - even on vacation- Two words: Fresh AirThere are probably other reasons that you can think of why an outdoor workout would fit into your particular lifestyle, so now all you have to do is learn what kind of activities can be done outside.Refer to the following Top 7 list of exercises that are sure to leave you sweaty, worn out, and feeling great when it's all over!LUNGESLike all exercises, lunges should be done with absolutely perfect form.
Lance Armstrong's Training Tactics - The Tortoise or the Hare?
I have been counseling people on weight loss, exercise efficiency and nutrition for over twenty years. Every time I go to the gym I observe people, their training tactics and their workout habits.
Tour of Diet - Cycling for Your Health
The last seven years, or so, at the Tour de France has shown a success story that is very uncommon. Winning seven Tour de France championships is a feat that will be extremely hard to duplicate.
10 User Friendly Habits for Successful Home Gym Training
Are you dissatisfied with your current training program? Are you not achieving the results you had hoped for when you started training? If you are you stuck on a fitness plateau and are in need of some tips on how to start seeing progress then keep reading.I am sure you want to see results from your training program (why would you do it if you didn't want to see results, right?).
Integrating Core Stabilization into Your Workouts
Stabilization is a hot topic in the fitness industry over the past few years. But what is stabilization? Stabilization can be defined as the body's muscular systems ability to support (stabilize) the body during movement.
The Truth About Lactate and Exercise
For years exercise scientists and physiologists have preached that lactate/lactic acid build-up in the muscle is the direct cause of muscle fatigue and a decrease in performance. It is proposed that lactate builds up in the muscle cells during intense exercise and literally "poisons" them, essentially shutting down activity biochemically by reducing the pH or increasing the acidity level.
Super Secret Exercise Tips for People with Arthritis
People with arthritis should exercise ? but they need to keep some valuable information in mind. Here are some important tips to follow:1.
Metabolism: How to Increase Your Metabolic Rate?
Metabolism is a process by which the body burns the calories and convert them into useful energy. High metabolic rate uses up the energy stored in the form of fat.
Will Your Personal Trainer Help You Achieve Your Goals?
Hiring a personal trainer can be a significant investment - even with hourly rates differing vastly across regions and countries - you are still paying a fair amount of money for the expert knowledge that will help you achieve your health and fitness goals and look after one of, if not, THE most important assets you have - your body.So how should you choose a personal trainer and what are the things you need to look out for, ask them and receive from them?First and foremost, you MUST ensure your personal trainer is fully and properly qualified.
Exercise: Why YOU Should Do It
Hundreds of Thousands of Americans spend millions of dollars each year on diet pills, "magical" exercise devices, and misrepresented health and fitness products, when in all actuality a good set of dumbbells and a brisk walk may be all you need to get in better shape than you've ever been in.What can you do with nothing but a set of dumbbells, you ask? Provide resistance to your body's movements - also known as weight lifting.
The Power Workout:
Scenario: I really want to get in shape, but I work all day and attend multimedia classes until 8:30. How do I find the time to exercise, and what are a few good exercises for beginners like me? Solution: Finding time to exercise is certainly a challenge.
The Right Exercise Intensity
We've all heard the exercise guidelines that recommend we participate in 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity 3-5 times per week. That seems easy enough to implement.
Mixing Things Up
To say that the human body is an amazing machine is an understatement, especially when it comes to diet and exercise. Our bodies are constantly trying to achieve a state of homeostasis.
How to Get Better Exercise Results By Improving Hydration
Water and ExerciseYour body excretes water in a number of ways: through urination, defecation, breathing (that's why we always enjoyed breathing condensation on mirrors when we were kids) and perspiration. And when you are exercising, your body can lose a large amount of water.
|