Tag Archives: Exercise

Benefits of Regular Exercise for the Brain

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There are many long-term benefits of regular exercise for your brain.

Studies have shown how essential and significant exercise or physical activities can be for keeping your brain fit and healthy. And, you can actually build a stronger brain through exercise.

Regular exercise improves mood

Regular exercise has a significant positive influence on mental well-being and can boost the mental health. Thus, if you need an emotional lift or a need to relieve the stress of a trying day? Exercise or moderate physical activity, like a brisk walk, is the solution.

Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier, more relaxed and less anxious.

Endorphins

The body’s feel-good chemical, known as endorphins, are released during exercise. Endorphins help focus your mind, reduce the impact of pain on your body, and improve your mood. In fact, some reports indicate the endorphins released during exercise have much of the same effect as traditional anxiety medication, and the results can last for hours afterward. There is ample evidence pointing towards endorphins’ positive effects.

Take your brain to the gym to maximize mental and whole-body health

Evidence does suggest that resistance training and aerobic exercise — walking, running, biking, swimming — will help your brain. In one study, older adults with mild cognitive impairment who lifted weights two to three times a week improved muscle tone and cognitive function, according to the Mayo Clinic.

  • Moreover, walking and other moderate aerobic exercise has been shown to help stabilize your mood and help with depressive symptoms. Studies have also found that regular exercise helps people better control their stress and regulate their emotions.
  • Physical activity contributes to learning. In one study, when teachers added exercise routines to math lessons — called motor-enriched learning — math scores improved faster for the exercisers than for the kids who didn’t exercise during the lesson. Other studies have found that exercise helps improve reading comprehension, too.

    • A few of the brain enhancing findings to motivate you to get started today.

    1. Feel better.
    2. Enhance learning. While scientists don’t fully understand how
    3. Sharpen memory.
    4. Improve vision.

    Your brain is amazing. Billions of nerve cells work together in harmony to coordinate every second of your life: your movements, behavior, thoughts, memories and emotions. So take your brain to the gym to maximize whole-body health.

    References:

    1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/want-a-strong-brain-exercise/art-20390074
    2. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389

    The Gift of Exercise and Health

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    Make exercise a lifelong habit

    Exercise and physical activity are great ways to feel better, boost your health and improve your life. The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are significant and hard to ignore. And, everyone would benefit from exercise, regardless of age, gender or physical ability.

    Research demonstrates that lifestyle changes, like making exercise a lifelong habit, will have a strong influence on your heath. Thus, you must make healthy habits such as exercising or being physically active daily a lifelong goal and a lifestyle. 

    Physical Activity is important

    Exercise and physical activity are good for just about everyone. No matter your health and physical abilities, you can gain a lot by staying active. In fact, studies show that “taking it easy” is risky. Often, inactivity is more to blame than age when older people lose the ability to do things on their own.

    Lack of exercise or physical activity also can lead to more visits to the doctor, more hospitalizations, and more use of medicines for a variety of illnesses. Research has shown also that it’s important to get all four types of exercise: endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility.

    Physical activity predicts better health. 

    People who rarely get off the couch are more than twice as likely to die prematurely as people who exercise moderately, whether they are normal weigh, overweight or obese.  In contrast, people who are obese and fit have only slight more risk than normal-weight, fit people, according to Dr. Sandra Aamodt, author of Why Diets Make Us Fat:  The Unintended Consequences of Our Obsession with Weight Loss (Penguin Random House, 2016).

    The research indicates that exercise habits are much more important than weight in determining the risk of early death.  Bottom line is that “exercise improves health even if no weight is lost.” 

    Low fitness is estimated to be responsible for 16 to 17 percent of deaths in the U.S.  While, obesity accounts for only 2 to 3 percent once the effects of fitness are factored out.

    Exercising 30 minutes a day is more effective than dieting 24 hours a day.  That’s the deal of a lifetime–a longer, healthier lifetime. Thus, one of life’s best gifts is exercise.

    Healthy habits for the heart. 

    Regular exercise protects your heart and provides many heart-healthy benefits

    Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S.  according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Your risk of many chronic diseases drops when you partake in regular exercise or physical activities. 

    The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise every week; just 30 minutes of activity, such as walking, on five out of the seven days. 

    Bottomline, exercise and physical activity across a lifetime can substantially reduce your risk of heart disease.

    Seven benefits of exercise

    There are seven ways exercise can lead to a happier, healthier you, according to the Mayo Clinic. The benefits of exercise are:

    1. Exercise controls weight
    2. Exercise combats health conditions and diseases
    3. Exercise improves mood
    4. Exercise boosts energy
    5. Exercise promotes better sleep
    6. Exercise puts the spark back into your sex life
    7. Exercise can be fun … and social!

    As you can see, exercise is good for the body or mind. According to the Mayo Clinic, walking or moderate physical activity can improve heart health, lower blood pressure, strengthen bones and muscles, help maintain a healthy weight, and improve mood.

    References:

    1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389
    2. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/four-types-exercise-can-improve-your-health-and-physical-ability#
    3. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/real-life-benefits-exercise-and-physical-activity

    Fitness Program: Five Steps to a Healthy Lifestyle | Mayo Clinic

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    Any amount of physical activity or exercise is better than none at all.

    By Mayo Clinic Staff

    Starting a fitness program may be one of the best things you can do for your health. Physical activity can reduce your risk of chronic disease, improve your balance and coordination, help you lose weight, improve your metabolic health and reduce your metabolic age — and even improve your sleep habits and self-esteem.

    There are three kinds of fitness:

    • Aerobic fitness. Aerobic activities condition your heart and lungs. Aerobic means “with oxygen.” The purpose of aerobic conditioning is to increase the amount of oxygen that is delivered to your muscles, which allows them to work longer. Any activity that raises your heart rate and keeps it up for an extended period of time will improve your aerobic conditioning.

    • Muscle strengthening. Stronger muscles can mean either more powerful muscles that can do bigger jobs (such as lifting heavier weights) or muscles that will work longer before becoming exhausted (endurance). Weight training (resistance training) or simple exercises such as push-ups are two examples of ways to focus on muscle strengthening.

    • Flexibility. Like aerobic fitness and muscle strengthening, flexibility is a result of physical activity. Flexibility comes from stretching. Your muscles are repeatedly shortened when they are used, especially when exercising. They need to be slowly and regularly stretched to counteract the repeated shortening that happens through other activities.

    You can start your personal fitness program with simple steps.

    1. Assess your fitness level

    You probably have some idea of how fit you are. But assessing and recording baseline fitness scores can give you benchmarks against which to measure your progress. To assess your aerobic and muscular fitness, flexibility, and body composition, consider recording:

    • Your pulse rate before and immediately after walking 1 mile (1.6 kilometers)
    • How long it takes to walk 1 mile, or how long it takes to run 1.5 miles (2.41 kilometers)
    • How many standard or modified pushups you can do at a time
    • How far you can reach forward while seated on the floor with your legs in front of you
    • Your waist circumference, just above your hipbones
    • Your body mass index

    2. Design your fitness program

    It’s easy to say that you’ll exercise every day. But you’ll need a plan. As you design your fitness program, keep these points in mind:

    • Consider your fitness goals. Are you starting a fitness program to help lose weight? Or do you have another motivation, such as preparing for a marathon? Having clear goals can help you gauge your progress and stay motivated.
    • Create a balanced routine. For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends getting at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. The guidelines suggest that you spread out this exercise during the course of a week. Greater amounts of exercise will provide even greater health benefits.

    But even small amounts of physical activity are helpful. Being active for short periods of time throughout the day can add up to provide health benefits.
    Do strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at least two times a week. Aim to do a single set of each exercise, using a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 to 15 repetitions.

    • Start low, develop exercise habit and progress slowly. If you’re just beginning to exercise, start cautiously and progress slowly. If you have an injury or a medical condition, consult your doctor or an exercise therapist for help designing a fitness program that gradually improves your range of motion, strength and endurance.
    • Build activity into your daily routine. Finding time to exercise can be a challenge. To make it easier, schedule time to exercise as you would any other appointment. Plan to watch your favorite show while walking on the treadmill, read while riding a stationary bike, or take a break to go on a walk at work.
    • Plan to include different activities. Different activities (cross-training) can keep exercise boredom at bay. Cross-training using low-impact forms of activity, such as biking or water exercise, also reduces your chances of injuring or overusing one specific muscle or joint. Plan to alternate among activities that emphasize different parts of your body, such as walking, swimming and strength training.
    • Try high-interval intensity training. In high-interval intensity training, you perform short bursts of high-intensity activity separated by recovery periods of low-intensity activity.
    • Allow time for recovery. Many people start exercising with frenzied zeal — working out too long or too intensely — and give up when their muscles and joints become sore or injured. Plan time between sessions for your body to rest and recover.
    • Put it on paper. A written plan may encourage you to stay on track.

    3. Assemble your equipment

    • You’ll probably start with athletic shoes. Be sure to pick shoes designed for the activity you have in mind. For example, running shoes are lighter in weight than cross-training shoes, which are more supportive.
    • If you’re planning to invest in exercise equipment, choose something that’s practical, enjoyable and easy to use. You may want to try out certain types of equipment at a fitness center before investing in your own equipment.
    • You might consider using fitness apps for smart devices or other activity tracking devices, such as ones that can track your distance, track calories burned or monitor your heart rate.

    4. Get started…get moving

    Begin your fitness program and keep these tips in mind:

    • Start slowly and build up gradually. Give yourself plenty of time to warm up and cool down with easy walking or gentle stretching. Then speed up to a pace you can continue for five to 10 minutes without getting overly tired. As your stamina improves, gradually increase the amount of time you exercise. Work your way up to 30 to 60 minutes of exercise most days of the week.
    • Break things up if you have to. You don’t have to do all your exercise at one time, so you can weave in activity throughout your day. Shorter but more-frequent sessions have aerobic benefits, too. Exercising in short sessions a few times a day may fit into your schedule better than a single 30-minute session. Any amount of activity is better than none at all.
    • Be creative. Maybe your workout routine includes various activities, such as walking, bicycling or rowing. But don’t stop there. Take a weekend hike with your family or spend an evening ballroom dancing. Find activities you enjoy to add to your fitness routine.
    • Listen to your body. If you feel pain, shortness of breath, dizziness or nausea, take a break. You may be pushing yourself too hard. Remember to drink plenty of water.
    • Be flexible. If you’re not feeling good, give yourself permission to take a day or two off.

    5. Monitor and track your progress

    Retake your personal fitness assessment six weeks after you start your program and then again every few months. You may notice that you need to increase the amount of time you exercise in order to continue improving. Or you may be pleasantly surprised to find that you’re exercising just the right amount to meet your fitness goals.

    If you lose motivation, set new goals or try a new activity. Exercising with a friend or taking a class at a fitness center may help, too.

    Starting an exercise program equates to healthy habits that last a lifetime

    Health, not gold or silver, is the greatest wealth! Billy Graham

    Starting an exercise program is an important decision for your health and well-being. But it doesn’t have to be an overwhelming or strenuous or anxiety producing one. By planning carefully, starting slowing and pacing yourself, you can establish a healthy habit that lasts a lifetime

    Reference:

    1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/fitness/art-20048269/?_ga=2.141564786.1134128569.1602276705-291377975.1601941478
    2. https://wa.kaiserpermanente.org/kbase/topic.jhtml?docId=ta3112

     
    Learning, Growing and Getting Better and Better Everyday!!!

    Healthy Aging and Lifestyle: Avoid Muscle Loss as You Age

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    Declining muscle mass is part of aging, but that does not mean you are helpless to stop it.

    “Older men can indeed increase muscle mass lost as a consequence of aging,” says Dr. Thomas W. Storer, director of the exercise physiology and physical function lab at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “It takes work, dedication, and a plan, but it is never too late to rebuild muscle and maintain it.”

    The best means to build muscle mass, no matter your age, is progressive resistance training (PRT), says Dr. Storer. With PRT, you gradually amp up your workout volume—weight, reps, and sets—as your strength and endurance improve.

    This constant challenging builds muscle and keeps you away from plateaus where you stop making gains. (See “Working on a PRT program.”) In fact, a recent meta-analysis published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise reviewed 49 studies of men ages 50 to 83 who did PRT and found that subjects averaged a 2.4-pound increase in lean body mass.

    if you want to burn more calories and lose weight, the answer is simple: build muscle, according to the Cleveland Clinic.  

    Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat

    Ten pounds of muscle burns 50 calories at rest, whereas 10 pounds of fat burns 20 calories. This means, long after you’ve stopped working out, your body is still burning over twice as many calories when you’re toned than when you’re not. 

    Strength training

    When you lift weights and build muscle, you’re actually creating tiny tears in the muscle fibers within your body. This is why you’re sore after a tough workout.

    Strength training comes when your muscles build against those tears. athletic trainer Tom Iannetta, ATC, CSCS explains that strength training is beneficial at any age. “As we age, we lose muscle mass, which decreases metabolism, so establishing a strength program will not only increase muscles, it will boost metabolism,” he says. 

    Get moving a little every day.

    Work out every morning and some evenings. Some moves take just minutes to do. Here’s a few ways to do it right:

    • Start slow—incorporate regular walks or body weight exercises to feel the burn.
    • Workout when you’re working—like with a stressball or a hand grip strengthener
    • Incorporate a complete exercise plan for building muscle. Use it and you’ll avoid back pain and get injured less

    A general guideline for improving strength is to exercise each major muscle group at least twice a week. This could be performed as a full-body workout or by doing a split routine performing upper body exercises twice a week, then lower body exercises twice a week.”

    Helpful strength training tips:

    • Warm up. Always begin with a light warm-up such as riding a stationary bike or an elliptical machine. Five to 10 minutes should be sufficient.
    • Sets are key. Three sets of an exercise with eight to 12 repetitions has been the gold standard for an effective strength program. However, finding time to exercise may be a challenge.  Recent research shows that many people see results with one or two sets of eight to 15 repetitions of a particular exercise.
    • Push it. Pushing the muscle to fatigue is a key factor. Choose a weight that is heavy enough to fatigue your muscles in eight to 15 repetitions. As exercise becomes easier, you can progressively increase the amount of resistance.
    • Variety is the spice of life … and muscle building. As you get stronger, try varying the exercises you perform. Different exercises or varying the weight training equipment in your routine should keep your program challenging.

    The important thing is to find an activity that you enjoy. With consistency, you’ll shed that quarantine weight in no time. 

    References:

    1. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/build-muscles-lose-weight-by-adding-strength-training-to-your-workout/?_ga=2.29316282.743021087.1601167027-783556893.1601167027
    2. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-can-you-avoid-muscle-loss-as-you-age/
    3. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/preserve-your-muscle-mass