Ready, Set, Go!

I’m sure by now you are ready to get started, right? “So how much exercise is enough?” you might ask.

Well, that depends on your age, gender, fitness level and objectives. The Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research in Dallas has found that walking 30 minutes a day, three times a week, provides some cardiovascular benefits. If weight loss is your goal, then the institute suggests you increase your walking time to 45-60 minutes, five to six times a week. As you progress, you can strive for a higher level of fitness by increasing the duration or difficulty of your workouts.

Exercise can be a lot of fun! Find something you enjoy doing and after getting clearance from your doctor-go for it!

Be Strong

Another way to turn back the clock is to include some form of impact exercise or weight training in your routine.

This was proven when a landmark study by researchers at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center at Tufts University revealed that weight training has a tremendous effect on aging. In only eight weeks, 10 fragile men and women between the ages of 86 and 90, all of whom had chronic disease or disabilities, increased the strength of their leg muscles by a dramatic 174 percent without injury. They also increased their balance and walking speed.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, weight or resistance training is the only type of exercise that can substantially slow and even reverse the declines in muscle mass, bone density and strength that were once considered inevitable consequences of aging.

As you can see, a physically active lifestyle provides many health benefits. Exercise can help you regain energy and vitality, improve the quality of your life and even prolong your life. An article by Mark Lander of Better Health and Medical Network states that reports have indicated that athletically and nutritionally fit individuals can be as many as 10 to 20 biological years younger than their chronological age.   By exercising you can turn back time! So, why wait another minute to start moving?