There is lots of information on the internet about the appropriate length of time for exercise, which type burns the most fat, and how often you should exercise for. When working with patients, our naturopathic doctors often get asked what is the best type of exercise they should be doing. The truth is there is LOTS of research around exercise and it’s many benefits: better sleep, better stress management, better blood sugar regulation, cancer prevention. The list can go on and on. So, is there a specific type of exercise that everyone should be doing?
The answer is whatever type of exercise is manageable and gets your heart rate up. Sure, doing an intensive workout at the gym will help you burn calories – but if you can’t sustain that type of exercise it’s going to have limited benefits.
The general recommendation is to get 150 minutes of exercise each week. What that looks like is up to you. Try looking at activities you could do that you enjoy and see how many times per week you can do them. Also, don’t underestimate the power of walking. All our phones have an app that can track how many steps we did each day – can you create a challenge for yourself where you try to hit a specific amount of steps each day? Do you have a dog that needs to get out for exercise as well? There is recent research to show that owing a dog has a beneficial impact on our health simply because it gets us out and moving more. In fact, people who regularly walk their dogs have a lower risk for cardiovascular disease and death (1).
Exercise is one of our pillars of health, and it only becomes more important as we age to help us maintain muscle mass, bone strength, and our mobility. It’s never too late to get moving with what motivates you. Our Toronto naturopaths want to challenge you to a bit of fun – see how many steps you can get in each day this week and let us know how you do.
References
Wright, Joel David*†; Kritz-Silverstein, Donna*; Morton, Deborah J.*; Wingard, Deborah L.*; Barrett-Connor, Elizabeth*. Pet Ownership and Blood Pressure in Old Age. Epidemiology 18(5):p 613-618, September 2007. | DOI: 10.1097/EDE.0b013e3181271398
Related Posts
