Exercise of the week - Get off the couch :)

I have been writing every week about various exercises, and they are all fantastic and do get you results if you do them regularly and in conjunction with a healthy diet. Variety is the spice of life and that is why I like to tell you about a new exercise every week. Not only does variety keep boredom at bay, it also challenges you by keeping your body guessing all the time.

Do you know what? To burn calories and tone up, all you have to do is get off the couch and do something physical! Once you get your heart rate elevated, you are working your aerobic system and using calories for energy. The ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine), makes the following recommendations:

 Cardiorespiratory Exercise

• Adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. 
• Exercise recommendations can be met through 30-60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (five days per week) or 20-60 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise (three days per week).
• One continuous session and multiple shorter sessions (of at least 10 minutes) are both acceptable to accumulate desired amount of daily exercise.  
• Gradual progression of exercise time, frequency and intensity is recommended for best adherence and least injury risk.
• People unable to meet these minimums can still benefit from some activity.

Resistance Exercise

• Adults should train each major muscle group two or three days each week using a variety of exercises and equipment.
• Very light or light intensity is best for older persons or previously sedentary adults starting exercise.
• Two to four sets of each exercise will help adults improve strength and power.
• For each exercise, 8-12 repetitions improve strength and power, 10-15 repetitions improve strength in middle-age and older persons starting exercise, and 15-20 repetitions improve muscular endurance.
• Adults should wait at least 48 hours between resistance training sessions.

Flexibility Exercise

• Adults should do flexibility exercises at least two or three days each week to improve range of motion.
• Each stretch should be held for 10-30 seconds to the point of tightness or slight discomfort.
• Repeat each stretch two to four times, accumulating 60 seconds per stretch.
• Static, dynamic, ballistic and PNF stretches are all effective.
• Flexibility exercise is most effective when the muscle is warm. Try light aerobic activity or a hot bath to warm the muscles before stretching.

Cardioresporatory exercise is anything that gets your heart rate up: walking, jogging, swimming, circuits, spinning, etc are all excellent choices. 30-60 minutes 5 days a week is not a whole lot is it? And once you start taking regular exercise, it can quickly become an addiction! 

So, go on, decide now that you are going to take regular exercise, along with watching your diet. You won't regret it !