What if we told you that the key to living longer and feeling younger had been found? Would you do anything about it?
What if we told you that it could be as simple as exercising for just 30 minutes a day? The fountain of youth maybe right under our noses…and most of us are not taking advantage of it!
Aerobic exercise is exercise that uses the large muscle groups in our bodies—our arms, our legs, our trunk—and causes the heart to beat faster and circulate more oxygen through our bloodstream. The CDC recommends 30 minutes of exercise daily, every day of the week if possible, but at least five days a week.
The good news is that while the best benefits come from keeping your heart pumping for longer periods of time, there are still significant benefits to exercising in 10 minute increments throughout the day. Daily activities, when done vigorously, can be aerobic exercise! This means that along with the exercises traditionally thought of as aerobic (running, dancing, swimming) you can also go bowling, clean your house or work in your garden—as long as you can get your heart pumping while doing it.
So what healthy benefits come from regular aerobic exercise? Here are just a few:
● Weight loss
● Increased stamina- the more you exercise the better you get!
● Lower blood pressure and control blood sugar
● Decrease depression
● Longer and healthier lives
● Managing of chronic conditions such as high cholesterol, and diabetes
● Reduced risk of some cancers, such as colon and breast cancer
● Improvement of your energy levels
If you haven’t exercised in a long time, start with consulting your doctor, and then start slow. Walk for 10 minutes around your block. Gradually add time and speed. Make daily aerobic exercise part of your daily routine—start with one small step and build from there.
Here are some ideas for aerobic exercises you may not have thought of that don’t require any fancy equipment or a gym membership:
● Dancing with your kids
● Pulling weeds (if you don’t have any your neighbor probably does!)
● Vacuuming vigorously
● Walking up and down stairs to get your heart pumping
● Choosing the stairs over the elevator whenever possible
● Bowling
● Parking at the back of the parking lot
● Playing with your kids on the playground!
● Walking or riding a bike to run errands
Commit now to making aerobic exercise part of your daily routine, your body will thank you.