5 Tips for Planning Your Workout Routine
We are three weeks into the new year, how are you doing with your New Year’s resolution?
If you are working to improve your health, physical activity must be a part of your plan. There are numerous benefits associated with physical activity, such as weight loss, lower blood pressure, improved arthritis, pain management, and improved cardiorespiratory fitness.
Research indicates that you need at least 150 minutes of moderate level activity each week in order to see the benefits of exercise. This can be broken down into 20 minutes each day or 30 minutes 5 days a week and should include both aerobic and strength training.
This isn’t a lot of time, but if your days are already packed scheduling time for a workout can be a challenge. Here are five tips to keep in mind as you plan your workout routine.
- Workout in the morning if possible.
Research has shown those who exercise in the morning tend to see more success. This is partly due to getting exercise out of the way first thing before obstacles can get in the way.
Walking for Heart Health Benefits
Do you understand the importance of being regularly active to promote heart health? However, you know this and still remain sedentary? Is this because the thought of exercise makes you think of a gym membership, spandex, and everyone watching you try to use equipment you have no idea how to work? Well, here’s an alternative.
Simply taking a daily walk has many benefits without the risk of embarrassment.
Benefits of Walking Daily
- Decreases risk of heart disease or stroke.
- Lowers LDL cholesterol
- Increases HDL cholesterol
- Reduces blood pressure
- Increases daily calories burned (weight management)
- Decreases risk of colon cancer and diabetes (may protect against breast cancer)
- Decreases joint swelling and pain from arthritis
- Improves mood
- Improves stress management
- More energy
- Improves self-esteem
- Improves sleep quality
How Long of a Walk
Exercise Safety with High Blood Pressure
If you have high blood pressure you need to exercise wisely.
Weight Training & High Blood Pressure
You want to use caution when lifting weights. There is potential for weight lifting to cause a drastic rise in blood pressure. However, there are many benefits linked to strength training, including a lower blood pressure.
I’ll refer you to this article to learn more:
How does strength training affect blood pressure?
Stay Safe
How much exercise to lower blood pressure?
Maintaining a physically active lifestyle that includes regular exercise is one step towards preventing heart disease and promoting low blood pressure.
Benefits of Exercise
Here are a few health benefits linked to exercise:
- Stronger heart and cardiovascular system.
- Improved circulation.
- Reduce symptoms of heart failure.
- Boost energy levels.
- Increase endurance.
- Increase strength & muscle tone.
- Better balance and flexibility.
- Stronger bones.
- Decreased stress, anxiety, & depression.
- Decreased body fat.
- Better sleep.
How Much Exercise
How does exercise lowers blood pressure?
When you exercise regularly your heart becomes stronger and more efficiently circulate blood. This means the heart doesn’t have to work so hard and it takes less force against your artery walls to circulate oxygenated blood through the body.
Being regularly active can reduce your systolic (top number) blood pressure by 5 to 10 mm Hg. However, don’t expect overnight results. It can take up to 3 months for regular exercise to impact blood pressure levels.
Exercise – Promotes Heart Health AND Stops Aging
A study published March 2011 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found exercise to halt AND even reverse the signs of aging in mice. . .in virtually every tissue and organ.
According to Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky, the study goal was to evaluate the systemic effects of exercise and to find a therapy (i.e. activity) that most people could do if they wanted to. The study focused on cell mitochondria. Mitochondria are found in every cell where food and oxygen are converted into energy. Evidence is showing that as we age our mitochondria break down causing cells to break down. This contributes tissue and organ breakdown leading to signs of aging, such as mental declines, wrinkles, and hair loss.
