Crab apple blossoms
Crab apple blossoms
Exercise is like a "fountain of youth" according to Consumer Reports after they reviewed all the many benefits in the latest research studies. Not only will working out keep you young but also prolong your life. Want fewer colds; then exercise. Want protection against heart attacks, diabetes, and cancer; then exercise. Want less stress, a better mood, and better sleep; then exercise. Want to loose weight; then exercise!
Three Parts of an Exercise Plan
There are 3 parts to exercising to promote good health: aerobics, strength-training, and stretching. Aerobic exercises promote good heart health by lowering blood pressure, reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol, and increasing HDL (good) cholesterol. Aerobics promote weight loss and a University of Illinois study of older people found that after three months those who did at least three hours of aerobics per week had the brain power of those three years younger. Figure your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220, and then multiply by .6 and .7; this is your heartbeat per minute fitness range. Aerobics include fast walking, biking, jogging, jumping rope, and swimming. Do 3 to 4 days per week for 30 minutes.
Strength-training supports strong bones and joints. Do 2 days per week for 20 minutes using barbell weights or stretch bands. Natural health physician Michael Murray has found through his research that strength-training develops muscles that help to more effectively burn calories and loose weight. Furthermore, building muscle maintains health, aids the immune system and is anti-aging. Stretching is important to do after aerobics or strength-training, when the muscles are warmed-up. What you should do before aerobics and strength-training is a gentle warm-up.
A way to stretch and de-stress is to do Yoga. It will also keep you sharp, ease pain, and help you sleep. Pilates blends body toning and elements of Yoga. Do 2 days per week. You can look at books, watch a DVD, or take classes.
An Interval Plan
Another type of plan, interval training, focuses more on a quick and healthy shape-up. Short (60 to 90 seconds) high-intensity aerobics are alternated with longer strength-training routines in the same 20 to 40 minute session. Experts suggest doing the above three days and fast walking the rest of the week. A Quebec study found high-intensity interval trainers lost fat nine times faster than moderate-only exercisers.
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