To exercise
or not to exercise is largely a matter of mental commitment and
discipline. Truly, the vast majority of Americans want to exercise,
but only a minority actually carries this desire to action. There
are two main categories of exercise, and each does wonders for
our overall health.
Aerobic (a.k.a. cardiovascular
exercise) has become very popular as it elevates the
heart rate for an extended period of time. In addition to prompting
increased deep breathing (see related benefits at Air), aerobic
workouts lead to the "burning" of fat after about
20 minutes of activity! Examples include:
| |
- walking |
- running |
| |
- bicycling |
- swimming |
| |
- step aerobics |
- martial arts |
| |
- ice skating |
- cross-country
skiing |
| |
-
tennis & racquetball |
-
basketball & much
more. |
Anaerobic exercise involves
short bursts of physical activity followed by periods of rest,
resulting in stonger muscles. While
anaerobic exercise does not directly burn fat, larger muscles
burn calories. Think of weightlifting, or bodybuilding,
when you hear anaerobic exercise. See the next column for examples.
| |
- bench presses |
- military presses |
| |
- seated rows |
- lat pulldowns |
| |
- curls |
- dips |
| |
- squats |
- situps & ab
crunches |
| |
- shoulder shrugs |
- deadlifts & much
more. |
|
The best exercise
program for most individuals employs aerobic and anaerobic activities. There
are many potential benefits of engaging in this well-balanced
activity, such as:
-
lowering or controlling blood pressure
- lowering bad (LDL) cholesterol
- reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke
- enhancing insulin sensitivity to ward off Adult
Onset (Type 2) Diabetes
- improving stamina and mental clarity
- increasing muscle strength and endurance
- reducing the risk of certain cancers
- increasing bone density to prevent
osteoporosis
- reducing stress, depression, anxiety
- relieving or preventing migraine headaches
- fostering restful sleep
- improving self-esteem and confidence
- assisting with efforts to stop smoking
- improving immune system function
- improving appearance, and much more.
Exercise is so important, that without
it, optimal health will remain elusive. Start
today to workout at a gym; take to the great outdoors with
your family members or a friend; or even do pushups, jump roping,
and situps between bill paying or during loads of laundary.
You will quickly be on the right track. Best of all,
you can do it!
One
last point: recuperation/rest is
a key component of the exercise cycle, as is nutrition. |
