Exercise matters to health and well-being, regardless of your size – . Health Blog

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to create havoc in our daily lives. Regardless of who you are, your life has been affected in some way. The stress builds up and you may need to find a way to decompress while you are socially distancing yourself. Taking the stage left my favorite pastime: exercise!

Well, I know what you're thinking: She's one of those exercise fanatics who will tell me that I have to exercise for several hours every day. Well no What I'm going to tell you is that you can make exercise work for you. Finding your "soulmate training" or simple activities that you can do is essential. You may think that you need to be a certain height or are already in shape to exercise. This is simply not true, and it is also not helpful to your health and wellbeing, as exercise – even in small amounts – helps improve blood pressure, heart problems, blood sugar control, and mood. It can also help you live longer.

So let's start with a few questions you may have. How much physical activity does your body need? Is it possible to be active in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic? How can you make exercise work for you? What if being overweight or having painful joints makes it difficult to be active? And what if you weren't active at all? We have the answers for you.

How much exercise do i need?

Before you start counting minutes, understand the following: Most anything that gets your body moving counts as exercise, and active minutes add up over your day and week.

Adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity each week. Depending on the intensity of the training, this can be 30 minutes (moderate) or just 15 minutes (vigorous) five days a week. Experts also recommend muscle-building activity at least twice a week. But even if you can't achieve these goals, one activity is always better than none. Just trying to move more and sit less helps. Now let's break this down a little further.

What is moderate physical activity?

Moderate activity increases your heart rate, makes you sweat, and allows you to speak but not sing. Here are some examples:

• walk at a brisk pace
• Aqua aerobics
• Pushing a lawn mower or vacuum cleaner
• Ride a bike on level ground
• casual dancing.

What is vigorous physical activity?

Vigorous activity increases your heart rate rapidly, makes it difficult to breathe, and can say few words, not complete sentences. Here are some examples:

• Jogging or running
• play basketball
• Swim laps
• ride a bike fast or on hills.

What if i am overweight or have painful joints?

There are a variety of activities that are great for people of all ages and sizes. Here are a few:

• Aerobic videos and walking workouts available on TV, cable, or streaming services (more information below)
• elliptical machine
• Recumbent
• Aqua aerobics.

These activities are economical or free and easy to perform. You can always increase or decrease your intensity if you are able to.

How do i start

Just do it! However, it is important not to think of nothing that you will be competing in the Olympics tomorrow. So listen to your body. If you haven't exercised regularly, I recommend starting your workout in 10 minute bursts. Finally, once you get used to the workout, you can build up longer sessions. Your goal is to be consistent and make exercise a part of your life.

What is the minimum amount of exercise I can do to make a huge difference in my health?

An analysis of several activity tracker studies in middle-aged or older people found that just 11 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per day combined with less than 8.5 hours of sitting time each day reduced the risk of premature death. Just 11 minutes plus a commitment to exercise more and sit less throughout the day! You can make that happen.

What tools and resources will help me explore physical activity?

• If you like to run: Take short walks near your home for free. Or explore online hiking training like this one with Leslie Sansone. You can stroll from one to five miles from the comfort of your living room.
• If you want to use your DVD or video player: Check out Collage Video, which features a collection of over 1,200 fitness DVDs at low cost. They also provide options if you are older or have physical disabilities that do not allow you to walk or move easily. Your local library may also have exercise DVDs or videos.
• If you're looking for a wide variety of on-demand workouts, such as hip-hop dancing and strength or cardio workouts, available for free or as part of a membership or monthly subscription: You can find these options on TV, cable, and streaming channels, or in online fitness organizations like the YMCA 360 and the American Council on Fitness. Or try these agility, strength, and balance exercises or short workouts for older adults from the National Institute on Aging. Depending on your fitness and your ability to walk and move, you may also consider chair exercises.

In addition to these resources, keep an eye out for local on-demand workouts by staying connected on social media like Twitter or Instagram. Dr. Arghavan Salles and I led the Social Distancing Fitness Challenge during the COVID-19 surge last spring to encourage our patients to be active.

My final thoughts: You can! Believe in you. You will surprise yourself.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @askdrfatima