exercise.
Exercise is one of the most reliable ways to stay healthy with significant long-term well-being benefits. What's the data show? People who are physically active and maintain a healthy weight live approximately seven years longer than those who are not active (heart.org). And better yet, the same research shows that the extra years are usually healthier. Physical activity also reduces the risk of developing dangerous diseases like cardiovascular disease, stroke, type-2 diabetes, or high blood pressure. Science shows, exercise makes us healthier and happier.
Harvard Health conducted research to show how exercise can help lower our anxiety. They first found that exercise helps by distracting us from what is causing your stress (reducing ongoing overthinking). The act of moving your body reduces muscle tension, supporting the body in relieving anxious feelings (think about how tight your body or back become when we’re stressed). Getting your heart rate up also changes brain chemistry by building anti-anxiety chemicals like serotonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid, and endocannabinoids. Lastly, exercise activates frontal regions of the brain that regulate how we react to anxiety when we feel a real (or imagined) threat.
Consider this, the World Health Organization states that in adults, higher levels of physical activity improve the “risk of all-cause mortality”. That is astounding, think about it! Physical activity reduces nearly everything that can kill us.
Still, only one in three adults receives the recommended amount of physical activity each week (HHS.gov). Worst yet, reports project that by 2030, half of all adults (115 million) in the United States will be obese. With all the advantages, exercise can have incredible benefits for your well-being when performed correctly. Exercise is a powerful ally in our anxiety journey. The good news is that it requires zero experience and zero cost to get started. You can literally start right now. Better yet, there are tens of thousands of free online sources to help you achieve your fitness goals.
Exercise benefits (Mayo Clinic):
Combat health conditions and diseases
Improves mood
Boosts energy
Controls weight
Promotes better sleep
Improve sex life
Can be fun & social
As needed, consult your physician before beginning any exercise program
tips for getting started.
Decide why
You must mentally decide why you want to exercise. This is a critical Jedi-mind trick to understand your motivation and stay on track. When we know our “why,” we become much more resilient in our fitness journey. Write down and share why you want to start.
Start small
There is no reason to rush your exercise journey; this is a life-long mission. Begin with short workouts (10-30 mins), 2-3 times a week. Assess your physical strength and endurance. Focus on one week at a time. Expect it to be challenging, and appreciate the challenge.
Try different exercises
There are countless types of exercises you can do, and finding the ones that work for you will be important in your success. We do the things we enjoy. Try at-home exercises to learn about different options. Almost all fitness classes offer a free class. Try several alternatives to find your fit.
Track your progress
Seeing results is one of the most dependable ways to feel accomplished and appreciate your hard work. Be proud of your results. Taking pictures can help you to see how far they’ve come. Those who have a goal written are 10X more likely to succeed.
How long should I exercise?
According to the World Health Organization, adults aged 16-64 years:
Should do at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per week
OR at least 75–150 minutes of high-intensity aerobic physical activity
Also should do muscle-strengthening activities 2 or more days a week
May increase moderate-intensity activity to 300+ minutes for additional health benefits
OR 150+ minutes of high-intensity activity
(source: WHO)
beginners low impact workout.
This is a complete beginners, low intensity, low impact workout for anyone who is either brand new to exercise, coming back from injury, or with a sedentary lifestyle. This is a great place to start to then move onto other workouts on the channel.
type of exercises.
Strength Training
Strength training, sometimes referred to as resistance training is the movement of weight against resistance. This can be actual weights, your body, or resistance bands. By definition, strenth training makes us stronger, improves our muscle appearance, increases endurance, and enhances bone destiny. Various sports that include strength training are bodybuilding, weight lifting, powerlifting, and strongman competitions. — More Information
Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise is sometimes referred to as endurance training or “cardio”. During this exercise, we increase our breathing and heart rate which helps improve our cardiovascular conditioning. Aerobic exercises are very popular and very beneficial in reducing obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and more. This can include running, jogging, biking, swimming, or rowing. — More Information
Flexibility Training
Flexibility training is the process of improving our range of motion, the ability to move our joints through different movements. This includes practices like stretching, pilates, mobility work, and Yoga. Flexibility is important as it improves our posture, muscle coordination, mobility, and reduces our risk of injury. If we never stretch our bodies become tight and vulnerable to muscle pain. — More Information
Balance Exercises
Balance training strengthens our body and muscles that are responsible for keeping you upright (& balanced). Balance work improves our stability and reduces the risk of falling and injury. While balance is critical in all sports such as football, soccer, and surfing, it can also benefit adults who are at risk of falling. — More Information
Sports Training
Sports training is preparing for a specific sport, such as soccer, boxing, basketball, football, tennis, etc. Each sport has specific challenges that require athletes to train differently. Sports training allows athletes to build up various strengths, endurance, muscle memory, and body motion. In soccer, there is an emphasis on running, kicking, and passing, while swimming has major components of diving, turning, and movement.
best (free) apps for exercise.
Anxiety Center Tip (trying to change everything):
When we are motivated to begin working out, we can be tempted to change a lot of things at once. This can include our eating, hydration, working out schedule, gym clothes, and more. For many of us, this becomes too drastic of a change, we become overwhelmed and give up. The key is to start slow, focus on one initial goal, “I will work out 3 times this week”, and progress into new goals over time.
15 min beginner cardio video.
Looking for some beginner’s workout? Check out this 15-min video from POPSUGAR Fitness. YouTube offers thousands of free videos that can get you started. Keep in mind, if you are not very active right now, a 15-minute workout will surely be a challenge. Just as anything that is worth it in life, it takes time, patience, and practice. The benefits are results will be worth it.