Who does not like to look good and fit? Everyone does. Off late you are also finding many who are conscious about wanting to be active. Many are obsessed with losing weight. All are aware that these changes will not occur overnight and hence exercising is very important.
Exercising regularly is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself. It lowers your risk of serious health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke and high blood pressure. It can also tone your figure and improve your sleep. Not only is exercise good for your body, it’s also good for your mind, mood and memory. Walking, doing household chores, climbing the stairs, playing a sport or dancing the night away are all good examples of being active.
Being physically active has other advantages such as easing depression, relieving stress and anxiety, enhancing one’s self esteem and improving one’s overall outlook towards life. You don’t have to spend long, boring hours in a gym to reap these benefits. Whatever your age, health limitations or fitness levels, you can develop an exercise program that’s fun and rewarding and fits well within your life parameters.
If you’re not ready to commit to a structured exercise program, think about physical activity as a lifestyle choice rather than a single task to check off your to-do list. Look at your daily routine and consider ways to sneak in an activity here and there. Even very small activities can add up over the course of a day.
Having said the above, making the right choice of exercise goes a long way in helping one be fit. Making some random choice of exercises can prove to become a deterrent towards you getting fit.
Let me sight few instances of wrong choice of exercises-
1) A person who is on the extreme heavy side (Overweight) should ideally not opt for running as an exercise as it requires to expend more energy and also running will put undue pressure on the joints which will lead to joint damage and injuries.
2) An osteoporotic man who is over 50 years old going to gym to lift weights. Though it is commendable that he is trying to stay active at his age but, lifting heavy weights despite osteoporosis is just straining the joints further.
Another important aspect to take care is never overdo it.
Research has shown that mild to moderate activity is enough to change your life for the better. You don’t have to sweat buckets or run a single step. Moderate activity means:
- That you breathe a little heavier than normal, but are not out of breath. For example, you should be able to chat with your walking partner, but not easily sing a song.
- That your body feels warmer as you move, but not overheated or very sweaty.
Therefore, making the right choice of exercise is a must.
The factors that are essential for choosing exercises:
-Purpose of exercise
-Age to perform exercises
-Weight
-Interest to exercise
-Medical condition if any
-Daily Routine to be able to spare time for exercise
-Daily Nutritional intake
Always, remember gym is not the only option for one to exercise and stay active. There are exercises that can be done at home, office or a park in the outdoors depending on your interest and purpose.
You can stay Active
-By going for a simple walk
-Brisk walking
-Yoga
-Simple strength and Stretch exercises like push-ups, planks, abdomen exercises that can be done at home
-Aerobics
-Cycling and Hiking
-Play a sport such as Badminton, Tennis, or any other sport
-Play with your kids
-Dancing
-Martial Arts
-and Running
Once you know the purpose to stay active you can automatically choose the right exercise for yourself. Consider all the factors and accordingly make a choice. Preferably if you can get a professional advice before starting on any exercise regime or speak to a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.
In the current scenario, we spend most of our time sitting in front of our desktops or laptops. Our job profiles demand that we spend 8-10 hours a day in front of our systems. This causes many problems such as neck, back, elbow, knee and wrist pain. One of the most common reasons for these kinds of aches and pain is the “Ergonomics” which most of us are not aware of.
