Today’s world is busy. Many have so much to do for their family and career, they feel overwhelmed about finding time for regular exercise. The fitness industry promotes physical fitness, and their own profits, to the point of making us feel guilty about our low activity level. Some just quit doing any exercise since they cannot have a “perfect” schedule.
How can you make it all work for yourself? It’s possible no matter your schedule.
Excess exercise can harm
Long-term excess exercise causes wear and tear on the joints and cartilage, weakens the immune system and challenges the body’s ability to regulate body fluids.
Exposure to the sun increases the chances of skin cancer. Excess activity puts strain on your heart, kidneys, and GI tract.
Moderation is key
Listen to your body for the right balance of rest and exercise. Resting is important to enable the body to renew the cells affected by exercise. Get seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Enjoy the fresh air outdoors and the vitamin D in the sun’s rays. By the way, this is good advice for the entire family.
Pain is an indicator that something is wrong. Rest while using cold and heat treatments for many exercise-related injuries. Therapeutic massage can ease pain and relieve congestion caused by overexertion. Besides, massage can release stress and anxiety by working tension out of muscles and joints.
It is never too late to start with an exercise plan. Significant health improvements kick in within days of starting exercise. I see retirees at the YMCA who work out every day looking younger and healthier every week. Get some good advice about how to pace yourself and stick with it.
Weekend warriors
Daily exercise might seem beyond reach for those in the workplace. A new study of 63,000 adults in the United Kingdom showed even “weekend warriors” yield major results, according to JAMA Internal Medicine.
Instead of working out every day, those with two and a half hours of exercise every weekend had a 30% lower mortality rate than those who did not exercise at all. The average beginning age of participants was 58 and the study continued for 20 years. This study shows that minimal weekly exercise significantly lowers mortality rate.
Just use common sense
Moderate exercise pays off big time with longevity and wellness. Get the family involved for weekend activity time. Rally friends to train for a 5K. Form a weekend or a morning neighborhood walking club. Set a goal and work toward it.