Almost everyone makes New Year Resolutions, but a large number who do, often stop or quit working on those once we reach February. One of the most made resolutions is getting in better shape. Most people want to lose a few pounds and shrink their waistline by exercising and eating healthier. In addition to trimming your waistline, regular exercise and healthy eating will help you feel better, think more clearly and live a longer, healthier life. Research shows that those who are physically activity are likely to live longer, healthier lives. The benefits of physical activity include weight maintenance, reduced blood pressure, improved glucose regulation and stronger bone density. Also, a person who has hypertension, diabetes or a history of smoking can greatly benefit from including regular physical activity into their daily routine.Start Sensibly
Don’t begin your exercise program too ambitiously. The key to success is to start slowly and increase the difficulty of your workouts as you become more fit. Those who overdo it often experience muscle soreness, become discouraged and quit. Rather than trying to run three miles on your first day, begin by running a mile and increasing your distance as your fitness level improves. Most importantly, remember that feeling dizzy or ill is your body’s way of telling you that you are working too hard. If this happens, take a break or stop your workout for the day.
At What Pace Should I Be Exercising?
Exercise should be fairly comfortable for you. Your pace should be just below the point at which you start to breathe quickly. Exercising at this pace produces two desirable results: it mobilizes fat burning and helps you develop endurance. This means that for maximum fat burning, longer, slower exercise is more beneficial than short, strenuous workouts. If you are reasonably fit and are exercising at the proper pace, you should burn between 400 and 600 calories per hour during any aerobic exercise. This includes riding a stationary bicycle, walking or running on a treadmill or using a stair climber.
Commitment to a regular physical activity program is more important than the intensity of your workouts. Choose exercises you are likely to pursue and enjoy, such as walking, running, stair climbing, biking and swimming.
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Healthy aerobic training should be performed three to five days per week with a minimum of 20 minutes per day. Remember, if your schedule is tight, it is better to exercise for a shorter period of time than not at all.
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Strength training is another option. Strength training should be done two to three times per week, and is performed with free weights or weight machines.
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Flexibility training is important too, but is frequently neglected, resulting in increased tightness as you age and become less active. Stretching is most safely done with sustained gradual movements lasting a minimum of 15 seconds per stretch. At a minimum, strive to stretch every day.
Counting Calories Means Trimming the Fat
The media is full of varying reports on how to lose or maintain weight. It’s no wonder that you may be confused about what foods to eat and what to avoid. Most experts agree that eating a well-balanced diet low in fat is the key to losing weight. Since fat contains more than twice the calories of carbohydrates or protein, high-fat food equates to higher calories. While lowering your fat intake is important, it is also important to monitor your calorie intake. Your ideal caloric intake depends on your age, body size and level of activity. Generally, women ages 23 to 50 need an average of 2,000 calories per day, while men in the same age group require about 2,700 calories per day.
For more information about healthy eating, visit: www.mypyramid.gov. Additional information provided by the insurance and health care specialists at RiskAware.
To find out more about how a PEO can help you manage and administer your company’s wellness programs, contact the LL Roberts Group (toll free) at 877.878.6463 or visit them online at www.llroberts.com.
