You see people exercising everywhere; you notice it every day on our social networks. Making exercise a big part of your life may seem an unachievable task because maybe it's not your top priority right now. What seems simple to some is not so easy to achieve for others. This article leaves you with some simple ideas so that with some changes, you can make exercise a part of your life.
Below, you will find some tips on incorporating exercise in your daily life and the benefits you can receive from putting it into practice.
Tips on How to Get Started With Exercise
Make a Commitment
Part little by little, but you can meet. Free up two mornings or afternoons a week and do it without thinking anymore. It does not matter if you change your exercise. You have to keep in mind that if you start, you must carry it out—no excuses (which are never lacking).
Record Your Activities
It is good to keep track of your accomplishments to move forward. Because there is nothing better than marking a "ready" on your to-do list, you can download some of the applications on your cell phone that also add exercises, in addition to counting the calories spent. For runners, the Nike Training Club app keeps track of their achievements. They can set goals and even create training plans. For different group workouts, download Strava, where you can mix running, cycling, gym or swimming and connect with athletes from all over the world.
Set Long-term Goals
Train with a goal in your head; that's the best way not to put aside your new commitment. Look for a challenge within the next few months and sign up. It can be a race in the city, a trail, an outing to pedal on the hill. It does not matter if, at the moment, you do not feel prepared. You will see that, little by little, and you will get closer to your goal.
Use Time Well
There is not enough time these days, and indeed some weeks you do not have time to dedicate to sports. For that, there are formulas to make it short and intense. One is to take challenges such as the "squat challenge," where for 30 days, you promise yourself to train so that you can do up to 100 squats in 10 weeks and with sessions of 20 minutes. You can also use other apps, with different exercises lasting only five minutes, which train different body parts and make you sweat like nothing.
Let's discuss a list of exercises that you start with. This list will give you the stimulus you need to get started as soon as possible and help you cheer up when you get bored or down.
Exercise to Get in the Best Shape
Any type of physical activity is good, whether within a structured program or done intentionally to move more (like taking the stairs instead of taking the elevator, for example). But to be really in excellent physical shape, you must combine exercises that provide you with better cardiovascular benefits (aerobic activities), muscular strength (resistance exercises), flexibility and balance. Let's discuss them one by one:
1. Aerobic Exercise
Among aerobics, sports or moderate-intensity activities are grouped but continuous that force the heart to beat faster (i.e., raise your heart rate) to oxygenate the body (especially muscle) more efficiently. For that reason, they are called aerobics, which means "with air" or oxygen.
Which ones you can do
You do not require special training or expensive equipment for this. You can do brisk walking, running or jogging, biking, swimming, or jumping rope. Do you like to play tennis, basketball or soccer? These sports, which require moving quickly from one side of the playing field to the other, are mainly aerobic activities.
Benefits
Aerobic activity results in a more efficient heart, capable of pumping more blood with each contraction. It also benefits your cardiovascular system as a whole, including the lungs and blood vessels that, with continuous practice, are maintained flexible, thus helping to lower blood pressure.
2. Endurance Exercise
Many people believe that this type of exercise is performed only with weights or bands and is unique to bodybuilders, athletes or the very young who are determined to define their muscles. But that's not true! The truth is that promoting stronger bones and muscles benefits all people, regardless of their age.
How to do them?
If you've never done resistance exercises, don't give up. You can use hand weights or resistance bands. At first, use a low weight or low resistance with low repetitions until you get used to it and master the technique. Then you can gradually increase the difficulty of the routine.
Benefits
If your muscles are strong and well-toned, daily activities will become easier, from working in the garden to carrying grocery bags. Strengthening bones is also essential, especially for women going through menopause, as increasing bone density prevents osteoporosis. Start doing them as soon as possible since after 30 all people begin to lose muscle mass and accumulate more fat.
3. Stretching and Flexibility Exercise
If you can fully raise your arms and be able to move them like blades of a windmill, squatting or raising your legs, that's great. But many notice that the ability of their muscles, tendons or joints to move is limited as they get older. Simple tasks such as tying shoelaces or even turning their necks from one side to the other are difficult for them. Stretching exercises are essential to staying in good shape.
How to do them?
In addition to doing them before each exercise session as part of the warm-up, it includes a program of about two sessions a week lasting 10 to 20 minutes. But if you have arthritis, you probably benefit much more from daily sessions.
Benefits
The more flexible your body is, the better you can perform all your daily activities, including sports, but also, they will help you fight pain, maintain good posture and even reduce stress.
4. Balance Exercise
With age, the reduction of peripheral vision, hearing problems and loss of muscle mass makes you lose your balance, so important to move safely, without fear of falls and possible injuries. That is why you should include this type of exercise as part of your routine from now on.
Which ones you can do
Yoga will help you improve your balance. But any other activity, be it walking, doing weights or practising any sport, will also help you achieve your goal: better balance. In sporting goods stores, you can buy instructional videos and balls or boards to do specific exercises.
Benefits
Yoga will allow you to perform any exercise routine well and feel safe in the activities of daily life (such as walking on shaky ground, such as sand). But perhaps its main contribution is to avoid injuries and falls, especially over the years.
Wrapping Up!
Now you know how to make exercise a part of life and why it is necessary for you, you can get started. Create your own affirmations and repeat them from time to time. You must do it, not just for a few weeks or a few months, but on a regular basis so that you enjoy its benefits for a lifetime.