Get ready to shimmy, shake, lift, bend, stretch, squat, walk, run… whatever YOU like to do!
Everyone knows that movement is good for you and your overall health, but how much do we actually need to be moving a day?
There’s a lot of conflicting information — but a good general rule of thumb is the 150 minute a week rule with two of the days involving a muscle strengthening exercise.
But you may be wondering… why?
Well, let’s take a look!
Mood, Energy, and Sleep
There’s something special that happens when you take 150 minutes of movement and spread that across a week.
Stress melts down, energy gets boosted, and sleep becomes actually restful.
This is in part thanks to the chemicals moving around in our brains…
✓ Serotonin shoots up
✓ Endorphins get released
✓ Hormones balance out
✓ Inflammation goes down
✓ Neurotransmitters get fired up
Not to mention the natural reactions our body has to movement…
✓ Tension eases
✓ Burnout is less likely to happen
✓ Calming effects happen
✓ Mental clarity is improved
✓ Mindfulness increases
Aerobic exercises are the best for this category, including running, walking, swimming, or cycling.
Disease, Illness, and Cardiovascular Health
You have the power in your hands to live a healthier, happier life. It just takes 150 minutes a week!
Take charge to reduce the risks of…
✓ Strokes
✓ Cancers
✓ Type 2 Diabetes
✓ Dementia
✓ Osteoporosis
✓ Arthritis
✓ Asthma
✓ …and everyday illness
If that doesn’t convince you — the benefits of movement on cardiovascular health are enormous.
✓ Lower blood pressure
✓ Reduced inflammation
✓ Reduced stressors
✓ Improved blood circulation
✓ Increased oxygen flow
So to get these major benefits, you’re going to want to do a mix of exercises including aerobics like swimming, cycling or running with some weight training inbetween.
Longevity and Mortality
It goes without saying that if you exercise regularly, you’re going to combat illness and disease and improve your health overall, which in turn will help you live longer.
According to Harvard Health “Researchers found that people who followed the minimum guidelines for physical activity—150–300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity, or 75–150 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity activity—reduced their risk of early death by as much as 21%. But people who exercised from two to four times the minimum were able to lower their risk by as much as 31%.”
Sign me up!
And you really want to throw all kinds of exercises in to mix it up (don’t be the person at the gym who skips leg day).
Give a little love to all parts of your body in different ways…
✓ Aerobic and endurance exercises like walking, running, biking, or swimming
✓ Balance and flexibility exercises like bending, shifting, or extending
✓ Strengthening and shaping exercise like weight lifting
✓ Mindfulness and intention exercises like yoga or pilates
Treat your body well and your body will help you be around for all of life’s precious moments.
Get Moving!
150 minutes may seem like a lot, but spread it out! It just takes 30 minutes a day to make a big difference. Your body (and brain) will thank you.
So get up, get out, and get moving!