If you are an athlete or training for something specific, finding the optimal workout is essential. Only about 25% of Americans get the recommended amount of exercise each week. To this particular group, any exercise is good exercise.
The benefits of regular exercise are well known. It makes your heart stronger, helps manage your weight, keeps your muscles strong and toned and builds self esteem among many other things. Should you be in a regular fitness class? Yes. But it takes commitment to get results though. Hard work. Living a fitness lifestyle requires prioritizing your health.
And here in lies the problem. How do you get people to work harder? The simplest answer is usually the best answer.
Start small.
Use the mantra “Any exercise is good exercise.” Any activity that is beneficial for you physically is good. If you are not physically active now any activity you start doing is going to be beneficial. Do not be picky about what it is. Just start moving your body!
Walking is a great example. It is not a strenuous exercise typically but if you are not exercising at all walking a mile or two is a huge improvement! Take your dog out for a walk. Walk to the store instead of driving. Walk up the stairs at work instead of taking the elevator. You can burn a few hundred calories a day by walking more. And you are improving your posture and endurance at the same time.
Have you ever danced in your room when you are home alone? Put on your favorite music and dance around your house for 15 or 20 minutes. You will get your heartrate up and enjoy yourself! Do not worry if you are not the best dancer. Hey, any exercise is good exercise.
Remember when you were a kid and you climbed trees? Climbing is a great exercise. Climb on things. Go to a playground and climb on the different equipment. Walk downtown and climb up and down the stairs, walls, and walkways. Walk through the woods and climb over trees.
Go sightseeing. When you go sightseeing you typically walk a lot. Visit a new town you have never been to and walk around to see the sights. You can find all sorts of activities involving physical activity in almost any community. Even walking in a mall is exercise. You are moving and you are enjoying yourself. If it is not fun, you are not going to do it regularly. Sightseeing is a great way to learn more about your region or state. You can find more things to do and see while you are staying active.
Search for stairs. Stair climbing is one of the best exercises you can do. It is low impact on your joints, burns calories and strengthens and tones your glutes and thighs, the largest muscles in the body. Go downtown and walk around looking for staircases to take. Walk the newfound staircase a few times and go find the next one. Before you know it, you will have a new walking path complete with various staircases to break up the monotony.
Any exercise is good exercise!
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