ARE YOU DOING ENOUGH EXERCISE?

It should be no surprise that as we get busier and have more stress in our lives, we tend to lose focus on an essential aspect of a healthy life – our well being. Demands and pressures more often require us to spend more extended periods behind a desk and not moving. This is not how our body has been designed – you were made to move.

Some of the more apparent benefits of moving more are:

• Prevent unhealthy weight gain and assist with weight loss
• Build strong muscles and bones
• Reduce the risk of, or help manage, cardiovascular disease (CVD)
• Maintain and improve blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels
• Improve energy levels

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity (brisk walking, light running) exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Although this is a general guideline, every person and their goals are different. It is vital to gradually build-up to this amount of activity to avoid the risk of injury and to make exercise become a routine.

It’s proven beyond doubt that when you also add resistance training (at least two days a week), you will have the best chance of getting healthy and stronger and reduce your risk of injury.

Although every one moves differently and their goals vary with factors such as age, injury, weight, biomechanics, and even exercise history, we all should be moving a bit more. The below is a guide for ideas of where you could start. We have broken the suggestions down into two levels which should provide you with options for whatever you believe you can do without injury or too much stress too quickly

Activity Intensity Levels

Moderate Intensity
An activity where you should still be able to talk while working out:

• Brisk walking
• Recreational Swimming and dancing
• Social tennis
• Riding a bike
• Golf or disc golf
• Playing active games

Vigorous Intensity
An activity which requires much more effort and the feeling of being out of breath:

• Jogging
• Fast cycling
• Many organised sports
• Tasks involving lifting, carrying or digging

Exercise Physiologist

Any exercise is better than nothing when you’re trying to increase overall activity and fitness. It can be hard to determine what the ideal exercises are for you, especially if you have any pre-existing conditions or injuries. Our Exercise Physiologists can help design and then help implement the best course of action for you. They will take into account:

• The type of exercise or activity you are capable of
• Specific workloads (eg, reps, watts, walking speed, distance)
• The duration and frequency of the training and or session
• Intensity guidelines – heart rate range and estimated rates of perceived exertion (RPE) to ensure that you are always working within your optimal heart rate for your goals
• Precautions regarding specific conditions and concerns relating to what exercises are most suitable

We all have different motivations. Our job is to help you achieve what you want and put you on the path to your goals. Whether it be to run a marathon, to return to your sport post-injury, to treck in the bush, or to be able to walk to the shops, we can help get you moving.

If you need some help or to figure out the best exercises for your body type and respective goals, then why not make an appointment with our Exercise physiologist? You won’t be disappointed!