Exercising is essential if you want to have a good quality of life, good health and to age without having to rely on a cane. Usually, people who exercise are not only healthier; they also live longer and have better lives than those who do not. But that doesn’t mean you have to spend all afternoon running.
According to some experts, you should take about 10,000 steps a day and be active for 30 minutes to stay healthy (especially if you spend 8 hours a day sitting in front of a computer in a cold office). Still, the amount of exercise you need each day varies with your age.
It’s not just the type of exercise (you don’t do the same thing if you want to gain muscle or lose weight), but the amount of time you spend every day in physical activities, especially aerobic ones (running, walking, cycling or swimming) that have proven benefits for your heart’s health.
How many minutes of exercise should you do each day?
Between the ages of 5 and 17, experts recommend physical activity and recreational sports. The WHO says that at this stage, you should do at least 60 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous exercise: running, swimming, or walking. Activities that activate and strengthen muscles (but not a gym workout, of course) are also recommended three times a week.
Between the ages of 18 and 64, a minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity and 75 minutes of intense physical activity is recommended. Moderate means walking, dancing, doing household chores, playing with children, walking the dog. Intense activity means running, swimming, competitive sports (football, tennis, basketball) or gymnastics. Practising a sport that works all your muscles (such as swimming) is extremely beneficial. 150 minutes per week basically means just 25 minutes per day (with a day off), but, surely, the more you can do the better!
Finally, from the age of 64 and up, the WHO recommends following a routine similar to the previous step, but divided into sessions of at least 10 minutes per day. In the case of people with mobility problems, it is recommended to do exercises that improve their balance at least 3 days a week.
According to the WHO, this daily routine will save you from heart problems, obesity, depression and a million other annoyances that can be easily avoided with a little physical activity.
It is really important to have an active lifestyle and to practice sports and work out. And, while many people are active in their daily lives, it is of the essence to make sure that you work different groups of muscles, not just the same ones. For example, people who walk or run a lot should also focus on their abs, arms and other muscle groups.
If you are not someone who engages in routine physical activity, you should know that there is no wrong time to start. If you don’t know what to do at first, you can simply start by walking, then add a small weight programme and so on. The web is also filled with workout options that last just a few minutes. If you can’t do it right at first, you should definitely not give up, but rather do it slowly and, little by little, you will start being more at ease with it and more fit. There is no reason no to start and, just as results are visible if you just sit on a chair all day, you will also start seeing results if you start working out.
Fraquoh and Franchomme
Further reading:
The philosophy of working out and sports decoded
4 details to consider when buying sports shoes
The four elements every sports watch should have
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