Exercise Right: Is there a “Right” way?
Exercise is deemed as an ‘essential’ activity, and for good reasons. Not only does it help manage chronic health conditions, but did you know exercise has profound positive effects on our mental health, such as reducing stress and levels of depression – important now more than ever! Not to mention the added benefits exercise has on improving your immune function. But is there a “Right” way to exercise?
The short answer is NO, it doesn’t matter HOW you exercise as long as you do enough. Guidelines suggest trying to accumulate 30 minutes of physical activity, on most days of the week. Remember, this isn’t necessarily just “lifting weights”. Physical activity refers to any activity that increases your body’s energy expenditure above that of rest – increasing your number of steps around the house, standing up and down from a chair, walking the dog, going up and down stairs, parking that little bit further away from the shops – you name it… it counts! Even as little as 60 minutes of physical activity per week can reduce the incidence of depression by 17%.
Eoghan’s Tips:
- Start with small changes and develop a routine you can get done consistently
- Dress right: a wet weather jacket and a cap to keep water out of your eyes can make walking in the rain bearable
- Exercise doesn’t have to be a “chore” – you don’t need to be lifting heavy weights, getting sweaty, or huffy and puffy. Any movement is better than nothing at all
- Find something that you enjoy *SUPER IMPORTANT THIS ONE* – the more you enjoy it, the more likely to adhere long term and as a result, get a great impact on your health
- Get in touch with me, an Accredited Exercise Physiologist – I can give you advice and education to help you stay fit and healthy, based off your current health and/or pre-existing health conditions.
If you still need more convincing, try watching this short 9 minute video by Dr Mike Evans
