DITK Newsletter – Volume 1
EXERCISE - GET UP, GET GOING & GET HEALTHY!!
Regular exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. The benefits are not only esthetic---exercise reduces stress, lowers the risk of heart disease (among many other conditions), increases your ability to perform a wider range of activities, and develops a feeling of well being. Choose an activity you like and stick with it. Start slowly and build up gradually. As strength and stamina increase you can step up the pace. Low intensity aerobic exercise should be the basis of your program. These include swimming, brisk walking, bicycling and even housecleaning, gardening and dancing. As your energy improves you can add simple muscle conditioning exercises which will build lean muscle mass, increase strength, improve bone mass as well as many other benefits.
This powerhouse combination of cardiovascular activity and resistance training will facilitate weight loss, strengthen muscles, improve endurance and create overall health!
Use the guidelines below to get more physically active
- Exercise at 3-5 days/wk
- Exercise at 55-90% of maximum heart rate
- Activity should be continuous and last 20-60 minutes
- Activity should include the larger muscle groups (chest, back and/or legs)
- Strength training of moderate intensity at least 2x/wk
- Stretching of the major muscle groups 2-3x/wk
*adapted from the American College of Sports Medicine Guidelines for Healthy Adults
Note: If you are just beginning an exercise program, check with your health care provider first.
Remember…It's all about lifestyle changes, not diets!!
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